<p>I’ve been in the national bone marrow registry for many years, 15 or 20? It is called the “Be the Match” Registry now, I think because you might be called on to donate bone marrow or you might be called on to donate stem cells(?) Or maybe they just wanted a catchier name.</p>
<p>When I signed up, you had to give blood. I was a preliminary match for someone about two years ago and they sent me a kit to do a cheek swab. I wasn’t the best match so they didn’t ask me to donate, but now with the cheek swab on file they have my full profile so they will know who I match the next time. Now, I think you do the cheek swab right away when you sign up.</p>
<p>A dear friend is having a bone marrow transplant in March. Thank God for the kindness of strangers. I would absolutely donate. If you would and you are not on the registry, you can check here to see when there is a donor drive in your town or you can join by ordering the kit on line.
[Join</a> Now - online registration for Be The Match Marrow Registry](<a href=“http://www.marrow.org/JOIN/Join_Now/join_now.html]Join”>My NMDP)
In the back of my mind, I always think that I might be the only match that could save someone’s life; I always picture a little child with leukemia.</p>
<p>You can read about living liver donors at the Mayo Clinic site which I think is quite reputable. [Living</a> Donor Liver Transplantation at mayoclinic.org](<a href=“http://www.mayoclinic.org/liver-transplant/livingdonorlivertransplant.html]Living”>http://www.mayoclinic.org/liver-transplant/livingdonorlivertransplant.html)
It states that “the healthy donor’s liver regenerates to full size within a few weeks of operation, and there is no long-term impairment of liver function.” Below is an exerpt from the site.</p>
<p>Living Donor Liver Transplant: A Success Story
The results of adult-to-adult living donor liver transplantation throughout the world are excellent. At least 275 adult-to-adult living donor liver transplants had been performed in the United States by early 2000, and several hundred more in other parts of the world.</p>
<p>The living liver donors are hospitalized about a week after the operation and have only occasionally required blood transfusion. Nevertheless, the donor operative procedure is a major operation and not without risk. Mayo Clinic’s transplant team estimates a risk to the liver donor’s life of 0.5 to 1 percent.</p>
<p>The donor is also at risk for temporary problems related to the surgical incision and the possibility of blood clots. The great majority of donors, however, have enjoyed a complete recovery within a few months of their operations, and tremendous satisfaction from giving a loved one their “gift of life.”</p>
<p>Adult-to-adult living donor liver transplantation using the right portion of the liver evolved from successful experiences with transplantation of children and cadaver donor split-liver transplantation.</p>
<p>The split-liver procedure involves splitting a whole cadaver liver into two parts, allowing transplantation of two recipients. This technique has been performed at Mayo Clinic in Rochester since 1994. Use of the larger right liver for adult recipients is necessary to provide the patient with enough liver tissue.</p>
<p>With living donor liver transplantation, the healthy donor’s liver regenerates to full size within a few weeks of operation, and there is no long-term impairment of liver function. The transplanted liver portion also regenerates, increasing in size to an appropriate match for the recipient.</p>