First lieutenant honors brother through bone marrow drive

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Joshua Edwards
  • 17th Training Wing Public Affairs
GOODFELLOW AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  Volunteers from the 17th Training Wing are assisting in the collection of DNA samples through a marrow drive with a final push at the Exchange here May 9.

The volunteers are contacting individuals to promote the drive and collect DNA samples from those interested in participating.

The only requirement from those who are interested in participating in the drive is to fill out a form and provide four cotton swabs with cheek cells from the mouth.

First Lt. Pricilla D. Rodriguez, 17th Mission Support Group executive, brought the C.W. Bill Young Department of Defense Marrow Donor Program drive to Goodfellow in honor of her brother.

"My brother passed away when he was 10 years old from leukemia," said Rodriguez.

Rodriguez added the best chance for a bone marrow donor match is through a parent or sibling, but in the case of the first lieutenant, she and her parents were incompatible, and her brother was placed on a bone marrow registry.

"We waited for quite a while, and he was admitted to the hospital because his organs were shutting down, and his body couldn't handle the intensity of chemo and treatments he was going through," said Rodriguez.

By the time a match was found, it was too late for Rodriguez's brother.

"There was a child born who was a match, and his mom had donated the umbilical cord, which is a good source of bone marrow, but we chose to give it to somebody else because he was just too far gone," she said.

Bone marrow is needed to produce red and white blood cells, which help keep the immune system strong.

Bone marrow donations can help those diagnosed with leukemia, lymphoma or multiple myeloma cancers as well as individuals with bone marrow deficiency diseases.

"I hope that I can save one of the millions of people who suffer from leukemia or a blood-borne illness that requires a match," said Rodriguez. "I've been on the registry since I was 18, and recently, I got a call saying I was a match for somebody. It is very inspiring to be a donor match."

Once a donor is matched and the medical facility collects what they need, the bone marrow can be used to help someone living in the U.S. or in a different country.

"We have an agreement with 19 other countries," said Eddy Medina, C.W. Bill Young DOD Marrow Donor Program senior recruit. "Your marrow could be going anywhere. We have marrow that goes to Israel, Germany, England, Japan, Singapore and all over the world."

During the volunteers training session, Medina told the collectors he would like to see a 50 percent participation rate from the base, although some collectors are aiming higher.

"My goal is 100 percent," said Yalonda G. Folks, 17th Training Support Squadron International Military Student Officer chief. "I would like for everyone in my organization to provide a sample."

The DOD marrow donor program measures success of a bone marrow transplant if it can give a person a more time.

"We consider success if a life of a person is extended anywhere from six months to a year," said Medina. "The person could get well for six months, a year or two and relapse. I had a general tell me one time that his daughter was only 17 and that we found a match for her, allowing her to live another six months. He said, 'We were his angels because we gave him six more months with his daughter.'"

Individuals who are interested in participating in the drive can complete the paperwork and provide the DNA samples 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 9 - the final day of the drive - at the Exchange. For more information on how to donate, call Rodriguez at 325-654-3408.