U.S. MARINE CORPS FORCES PACIFIC, CAMP H.M. SMITH, Hawaii -- The Camp Smith Battalion Medical Office held its bone marrow registration drive May 27, here.
The purpose of the drive was to find suitable donors for thousands of patients who are diagnosed with fatal blood diseases every year.
Even though a person's bone marrow is inherited, only 30 percent of patients find compatible donors in their family. Because of this, many people turn to the National Marrow Donor Registry.
Military and Department of Defense employees who registered Thursday had their blood samples sent to the Naval Medical Research Institute in Maryland. Medical officials there determine each person's marrow type and enter it into the marrow donor registry.
If a donor is found as a match for someone needing their bone marrow, they undergo several more blood tests including a physical exam, which confirms their eligibility as a acceptable donor.
Additional information may be obtained by calling 1-800-MARROW3, or for local information, contact Sgt. Kelly Persich at 477-5382.