[Talk] Bone marrow donor for fellow geek

[talk@flux.org]

I looked at the registry site - it might have been helpful to know his
blood type but the reality is that registrants, as the point out, can
be matched anywhere - and even if you do not save him, you might save
someone else. I'd be willing to register, (especially since there is
no real pain issue until you actually are found to be a match, they
match with cheek swabs now) but I'm disqualified because I take
painkillers for back/degenerative disk pain on a daily basis (wow!)
and I'm under the care of a doctor for this pain.

I think I know why. Anesthesia is no longer simple for me - they can't
give me enough of the common drugs that they use for anesthesia, since
I take some of them for pain - and I am not 100% sure that they could
control postoperative pain. You know, if I was going to save someone's
life it would not be an issue to me, but they won't even register me.

On Tue, Apr 1, 2008 at 3:53 PM, Adam Glass - adamglass@gmail.com
<+flux+simicich+64c91e43a1.adamglass#gmail.com@spamgourmet.com> wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> This came to me from the ACM SIGGRAPH local chapter's list.  I'm reposting
> it here in case somebody wants to do a huge act of kindness for someone
> they've never met.
>
> =========================================
> I am writing to ask everyone for their help in publicizing the need for a
> bone marrow donor for Emru Townsend. Emru is the SIGGRAPH 2008 Computer
> Animation Festival Co-Chair and a long-time member of the ACM SIGGRAPH
> community. In December of 2007, he was diagnosed with Leukemia.
>
> You can use the following blurb to post on your web site or to e-mail your
> members. How you get the word out is up to you but if you can help spread
> the word, it will be very much appreciated. If you have any specific
> questions about helping Emru, you may contact Leslie Bishko at
> leslie@siggraph.ca.
>
> Thank you for your help with this.
>
> Scott
>
> ************************************************
>
>
>
> Emru Townsend is the editor of FPS Magazine, an animation critic, writer and
> active member of the SIGGRAPH community.  Emru has often covered the
> SIGGRAPH annual conferences for PC World and FPS, as well as participating
> himself as panelist, moderator for Sketches and jury member of the Computer
> Animation Festival.  Slated to chair the 2009 Computer Animation Festival,
> he was acting as co-chair this year, until he was diagnosed with Leukemia in
> December, 2007.
>
> A campaign is under way to find a bone-marrow donor for Emru.  Time is of
> the essence as the optimal window of opportunity is in the first few months
> after remission.  A broad and diverse array of donors is required because
> the chance of finding a match requires finding the right combination of
> matching human leukocyte antigens (HLAs) between donor and recipient. While
> anyone, anywhere can be a potential match, Emru's best chance for a match
> comes from a donor who shares his ethnic background. As the son of two
> African Caribbean parents, his chances are further diminished as blacks are
> underrepresented in bone marrow registries worldwide.
>
> Please visit http://www.healemru.com for full details on how you can sign up
> to be a bone marrow donor.  Registering can help save not only Emru's life,
> but that of one of the many other patients waiting for a bone marrow
> transplant.
> --
> Scott Lang
> ACM SIGGRAPH Director for Chapters
> SIGGRAPH 2008 International Resources Co-Chair
> NYC ACM SIGGRAPH Vice-Chair
>  Video and Animation Instructor - Bergen County Academies
>
> =======================================
>
> --Adam



-- 
A man can't live in the everglades
Where a man can hide and never be found and have no fear of the bayin' hound
But he better keep movin' and don't stand still
If the skeeters don't get him then the gators will