| Most people familiar with Leukemia know that a | | | | African American patients could not find a |
| bone marrow transplant is the final option to cure | | | | matching donor. Faced with death, Courtney's |
| the Leukemia. A Leukemia patient must find a | | | | doctors decided on the much less known Cord |
| matching donor so their body does not reject the | | | | Blood Stem Cell transplant. Courtney would be |
| stem cells taken from the bone marrow of the | | | | implanted with Adult Stem Cells taken from a |
| donor. Usually the matching donor is of the same | | | | baby's umbilical cord. |
| race or descent as the patient. A German usually | | | | To make a long story short, the Adult Stem Cells |
| matches with perhaps an American of German | | | | did the trick. Courtney is now cured of her |
| descent. Or a Chinese American might match with | | | | Leukemia and now attending college. Since her |
| a Chinese donor and so on. | | | | life-altering experience with Leukemia, she has |
| Unfortunately, there is a shortage of matching | | | | become an advocate of registering and donating |
| donors in minority patients. Therefore, if an end | | | | bone marrow. |
| stage Leukemia patient is unable to find a | | | | This is a story on why donors are so important. |
| matching donor, the result could be death. This is | | | | It is very simple for the donor to save a life. |
| especially true in the African American community. | | | | Potential donors can go to the website |
| About 8% of donors in the Bone Marrow | | | | marrow.org and find more information on how to |
| Registry are African Americans. Up to 80% of | | | | register. The national bone marrow is actively |
| African American patients in need of a bone | | | | encouraging donors from minorities as there is |
| marrow transplant are unable to find a match. | | | | currently a severe shortage. Parents of newborn |
| Such was the case of Courtney Parham, a young | | | | babies can also donate their cord blood (or store |
| African American woman who was diagnosed | | | | it in case they need it). This cord blood can be |
| with Leukemia just after graduating from high | | | | used to help patients such as Courtney, patients |
| school. She was in desperate need of a bone | | | | who are given a second chance at life due to a |
| marrow transplant to save her life. But like most | | | | simple donation. |