Program offers Airmen, families chance to save lives

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Jacob Corbin
  • 14th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
COLUMBUS AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. --  A Department of Defense program allows Airmen, DoD civilians and their families the chance to save the life of someone in need.

The C.W. Bill Young Marrow Donor Program coordinates all of the steps in the life-saving process of voluntary bone marrow donation.

The process begins when a member decides they want to register in the program. After making the decision, they register with the program and give a tissue sample in either the form of a mouth swab or a small amount of blood. This sample is then used to determine the human leukocyte antigen type of the person, which will be put in a system that helps match patients with potential donors.

Columbus Air Force Base is home to one of the programs walk-in registration sites at the 14th Medical Group Laboratory. Those interested in registering for the program may contact the 14th MDG laboratory at 434-2123.

After the initial sample is taken, it can takes months or years before a match is found, if at all. If one is found, the donation process begins.

Donors are first classified as a preliminary match and are contacted by a Donor Coordinator from the program to verify the donor is a good match. If the member wishes to continue and possibly donate, a blood sample is taken for further testing.

Some may not be aware that the goal of a marrow donation is blood stem cells and they may be acquired in one of two ways. The first is the traditional bone marrow donation surgery, and the second is known as peripheral stem cells. The coordination will notify the possible donor of which procedure is needed.

After confirming the donor is a good match, the donor will then go through a physical to make sure they are fit for donation.

In bone marrow donation, marrow is extracted from the back of your pelvic bone using a special needle and syringe, while the donor is under anesthesia.

In peripheral blood stem cell donation, donors receive two injection of filgrastrim, a synthetic hormone, for five days prior to collection to increase the creation of blood stem cells. The final injection is given on the day of collection, where blood is then removed through a sterile needle in one arm and passed through a machine that separates out the blood stem cells. The remaining blood is returned to through the other arm.

After either procedure is completed, the program will follow up with donors to see how they are faring.

Most donors are back to work within a week and back to performing normal physical activities within a few weeks.

For more information on the C.W. Bill Young Marrow Donor Program visit http://www.dodmarrow.org/index.htm.