Texas State, Be The Match partner for bone marrow registry campaign

Texas State University and Be The Match have partnered for a bone marrow registry campaign April 1-20, concluding with a drive-up event on April 20. The "Drive for the Cure" event will run 10 a.m- 3 p.m. in the parking lot of the University Events Center, located at 106 Charles Austin Drive in San Marcos.

Since 2008, Texas State and Be The Match have partnered to host bone marrow registry drives on campuses to help cancer patients find matching donors. Through efforts led by Texas State’s American Marketing Association, Radiation Therapy and Clinical Laboratory Sciences programs, more than 17,000 Bobcats have joined the registry and 65 students or alumni have gone on to donate to someone in need.

For a marrow transplant to be successful, the donor and recipient have to be very close genetic matches and share a similar ethnic background. The chance of finding a match can vary significantly depending on the patient’s ethnicity. Currently, the odds of finding a match–based on ethnic backgrounds–ranges from 23% for Black Americans to 46% for Hispanic/Latinx Americans. For white Americans, the likelihood of a match stands at 77%. It is important to diversify the registry to ensure that all patients have an equal chance at a cure.  

Every three minutes someone is diagnosed with a blood cancer such as leukemia or lymphoma. For many patients, a marrow transplant offers their best or only shot at a cure. Unfortunately, for many patients a matched donor is not available on the Be The Match registry.

Registering is easy. People between the ages of 18 and 44 can join online at https://join.bethematch.org/bobcat or text "bobcat" to 61474. After filling out a consent form, registrants will receive a cheek swab kit in the mail within a few days with instructions and a pre-labeled return envelope.

To for more information, contact Marissa Ochoa at m_o199@txstate.edu.