LIFE OF A 7TH GRADE STUDENT DEPENDS ON MARROW DONORS
29 May 2009
Bridget Ayala Torres is a 14-year-old seventh grade Odyssey Middle School student whose life now depends of a 100% compatible marrow donor.
A few months ago, in February of 2009, Bridget became very ill and in March was diagnosed with a liver failure associate with severe aplastic anemia, which made her very susceptible to infections and uncontrolled bleeding. She is bravely fighting for her life and already received a liver transplant but only a bone marrow transplant will cure her from aplastic anemia.
Bridget’s doctor has searched the Be the Match Marrow Registry with 7.5 million donors but no match has been found. “Being Hispanic, Bridget’s best chance of finding a compatible match is with another person who is also from the Hispanic racial/ethnic background,” said Airam da Silva, President of The Icla da Silva Foundation, an Official Recruitment Group for the Be The Match Registry. “Unfortunately, Hispanics still underrepresented in the Be The Match Registry, where out of the 7.5 million registered donors, only 650,000 are from the Hispanic background, 550,000 are African American and 520,000 are Asians.”
The Icla da Silva Foundation is assisting the family and coordinating dozens of marrow drives to help find a compatible donor for Bridget. The Ayala-Torres’ friends and family are joining forces, sending out e-mails and flyers inviting the Hispanic/Latino community to register as a marrow donor.
“There is a huge misconception about marrow donation in our community,” said Mr. da Silva whose sister, Icla da Silva, died at the age of 13 for not finding a compatible marrow donor. “We ask that people come forward and find out how easy it is to save a life.”
The upcoming drives are as follows: Thursday, June 4th at Keiser University in Orlando and Saturday June 6th and Sunday June 7th at Saint Thomas Apostle in Miami. More information at: www.icla.org or 1-888-638-2870.
Bridget is at the Jackson Memorial Holtz Children Hospital in Miami getting frequent transfusions and waiting for a donor who save her life.
HOW TO REGISTER
The first step is to join the Be The Match Registry. Anyone who meets the health guidelines and is between of 18 and 60 can Join the Registry. After completing a brief consent form, potential donors will collect some cheek cells from inside the mouth using a cotton-tipped swab. The Icla da Silva Foundation is covering the $52 cost to register, so everyone can join for free.
ABOUT THE FOUNDATION
The Foundation was established in June of 1992 to honor the life of a thirteen-year-old Brazilian girl who fought leukemia. Despite the tireless efforts of her family and friends to find her a matching donor, none was found and Icla passed away.
The frustration then is what moves the Foundation today. So far we are the largest recruitment center for Be The Match Registry registering over 14,000 new potential bone marrow donors in 2008, but we need you to help us find marrow donors for children and adults whose life may depend on our efforts.
A few months ago, in February of 2009, Bridget became very ill and in March was diagnosed with a liver failure associate with severe aplastic anemia, which made her very susceptible to infections and uncontrolled bleeding. She is bravely fighting for her life and already received a liver transplant but only a bone marrow transplant will cure her from aplastic anemia.
Bridget’s doctor has searched the Be the Match Marrow Registry with 7.5 million donors but no match has been found. “Being Hispanic, Bridget’s best chance of finding a compatible match is with another person who is also from the Hispanic racial/ethnic background,” said Airam da Silva, President of The Icla da Silva Foundation, an Official Recruitment Group for the Be The Match Registry. “Unfortunately, Hispanics still underrepresented in the Be The Match Registry, where out of the 7.5 million registered donors, only 650,000 are from the Hispanic background, 550,000 are African American and 520,000 are Asians.”
The Icla da Silva Foundation is assisting the family and coordinating dozens of marrow drives to help find a compatible donor for Bridget. The Ayala-Torres’ friends and family are joining forces, sending out e-mails and flyers inviting the Hispanic/Latino community to register as a marrow donor.
“There is a huge misconception about marrow donation in our community,” said Mr. da Silva whose sister, Icla da Silva, died at the age of 13 for not finding a compatible marrow donor. “We ask that people come forward and find out how easy it is to save a life.”
The upcoming drives are as follows: Thursday, June 4th at Keiser University in Orlando and Saturday June 6th and Sunday June 7th at Saint Thomas Apostle in Miami. More information at: www.icla.org or 1-888-638-2870.
Bridget is at the Jackson Memorial Holtz Children Hospital in Miami getting frequent transfusions and waiting for a donor who save her life.
HOW TO REGISTER
The first step is to join the Be The Match Registry. Anyone who meets the health guidelines and is between of 18 and 60 can Join the Registry. After completing a brief consent form, potential donors will collect some cheek cells from inside the mouth using a cotton-tipped swab. The Icla da Silva Foundation is covering the $52 cost to register, so everyone can join for free.
ABOUT THE FOUNDATION
The Foundation was established in June of 1992 to honor the life of a thirteen-year-old Brazilian girl who fought leukemia. Despite the tireless efforts of her family and friends to find her a matching donor, none was found and Icla passed away.
The frustration then is what moves the Foundation today. So far we are the largest recruitment center for Be The Match Registry registering over 14,000 new potential bone marrow donors in 2008, but we need you to help us find marrow donors for children and adults whose life may depend on our efforts.