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Ayr Fire Station Hosts Bone Marrow Donor Clinic
| Published: 7th February 2010 19:47 |
Strathclyde Fire and Rescue have entered into partnership with the Anthony Nolan Trust and are looking for bone marrow donors.
A donor clinic will be held at Ayr Fire Station, Station Road, Ayr on Saturday 13 February from 11am - 4pm. Donors must be between the ages of 18 and 40 years and in good health.
To find out if you are suitable for inclusion on the Bone Marrow Donor Register, all you need to do is give a saliva sample - it couldn't be easier! However, please note, volunteers are requested to be "nil by mouth", that is no food, drink or cigarettes for at least 45 minutes before attending.
For further information, visit http://www.anthonynolan.org.uk/ or http://www.strathclydefire.org/. Alternatively, you can email connect@strathclydefire.org.
Car parking for the event will be at Ayr College.
There are quite a few myths and misunderstandings surrounding bone marrow donation so here they are together with the facts!
MYTH: You can only donate to a member of your own family.
FACT: Only 30% of patients needing a transplant will find a matching donor from within their own family, generally from a sibling. Unrelated donors count for the majority of bone marrow donations.
MYTH: You have to be the same blood group as the patient to be a matching donor.
FACT: Matching is performed by tissue type not blood group. However, some patients do take on the blood group of their donor, post transplant.
MYTH: Donating bone marrow is painful.
FACT: Donors will feel only some slight discomfort after their donation. Some have compared it to a hard game of football or a day spent gardening.
MYTH: Bone Marrow Donation always requires surgery
FACT: The truth is there are two ways to donate. As a matter of fact most donations do not involve surgery at all. Depending on the patient's doctor request you may either do (PBSC) donation, which is non-surgical or marrow donation which is a surgical procedure.
MYTH: Donating bone marrow involves removing bone from your body.
FACT Bone Marrow is an aqueous pulpy tissue found inside the long bones. Bone marrow can be compared to a factory where red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets are made. No actual bones or part of a bone is removed from the body.
MYTH: Donating bone marrows involves a lengthy recovery period.
FACT:During the donation PBSC donors may experience headaches, nausea and fatigue.Symptoms usually disappear one or two days after donating. Harvest donors can expect to feel fatigued and some discomfort their lower back. Harvest donors can also expect to be back to work, school and other activities within one to ten days.
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