WVVA TV Bluefield Beckley WV News, Weather and SportsYoung mother needs bone marrow transplant
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Bluefield, W.Va. (WVVA) - Be the Match Marrow Registry is a national bone marrow donor program that helps 5,000 people receive transplants every year. Raleigh General Hospital teamed up with Be The Match hosting it's first bone marrow registry. For many people that need a bone marrow transplant, Be the Match is their last hope.
"They've already had treatments and it didn't resolve the blood cancer or blood issue that they have. They've checked in their family which is their highest match. And their last option is to come to us so we're between them and death's door," says Addie Sanders, Account Executive, Be the Match Registry.
Chanel Bentley, 18, is from Wyoming County. She was diagnosed with Leukemia while she was four months pregnant.
"They told me that you do have Leukemia and after you have your baby we will do treatments on you," says Chanel.
Chanel under went chemotherapy but after the treatment doctors told her she would need a bone marrow transplant. Since then Chanel has been waiting seven months to find a donor that's a match. Her story inspired Raleigh General to host a bone marrow registry to find more donors. Chanel's family was among the many people that signed up.
"The doctor told me that they weren't a match for me but they came anyway just incase they end up being for someone else," says Chanel.
If you would like to join the registry the process is simple. You must be between the ages of 18 and 60 and in good health. Nurses will take a mouth swab and you will be placed on the global database as a potential donor.
"If it were my family member, I would want someone to do it for them," says donor Ashley Jarrell.
"In my profession it's all about saving lives and this is just an extension to that to see if we can reach out and help someone else who needs us," says donor Judith Moses.
