Since 1997, the Postal Service’s Gift of Life Campaign has added 35,000 potential donors to the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) registry.
More than 6,000 men, women and children search the registry each day, hoping to find a matching donor. These patients have leukemia, lymphoma and other life-threatening diseases that require a marrow transplant. Since tissue types are inherited, a diversity of donors increases the likelihood that all patients will find a match.
Currently, 38 postal districts participate in the campaign. In fiscal year 2007, USPS registered 5,545 names with the NMDP. Continuing in fiscal year 2008, dependents of USPS employees — ages 18–60 — also can volunteer to be tested through this program. The goal this year is 5,750 registrants.
Considering registering? Here’s the good news — the process no longer requires a needle. Potential donors simply have the inside of their cheeks swabbed to obtain tissue samples for type testing. Visit marrowdonor.org for more information.
