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TRANSPLANTS
& TRANSFUSION

generous tissue donors. The center’s be- “My friends don’t see the importance of giving,
reavement program holds community and I just don’t know why,” says Marcos Perez III,
events and provides educational resources a San Antonio postal worker who has donated
for those who have suffered the loss of a more than 90 gallons of blood and platelets in
loved one and are considering tissue do- the past 40-plus years. “One donation saved my
nation. Transplant recipients are active in life a long time ago. I want to give back.”
events honoring those who have donated.
“You never know when it’s going to hit you, when you’re going
GenCure also collects peripheral blood to need the help,” says Maria Garcia, who received multiple units
stem cells (PBSC) and mononuclear cells of platelets in 2008 when she was being treated for idiopathic
for autologous transplant and research thrombocytopenic purpura. Since then, she has been active on so-
worldwide. The center collected 85 units cial media, encouraging everyone she knows to donate blood and
for transplant last year from donors platelets — even while she was undergoing treatment for cancer.
throughout a multistate region; donors “If you cannot donate, encourage other people to donate,” she
came from as close as San Antonio and as said. “That’s what I do.”
far away as Oklahoma.
The commitment to selflessness among our donors is year-round,
The GenCure Marrow Donor Program and we’re recognizing it specifically in April, which is National Do-
works in partnership with the ‘Be The nate Life Month. BioBridge Global is committed to both promotion
Match’ bone marrow registry, recruiting and education about donation. In addition to committed donors and
donors from across South Texas to match PBSC recipients suffering their thankful recipients, it takes the commitment of health-care
from blood cancers across the globe. The center added more than providers to educate patients, families and the community about how
80,000 names to the registry in 2015, making a special effort to boost donation can make a difference in the lives of so many. As medical
the population of under-represented minorities in the database. professionals, we’re in a position to dispel donation myths and
demonstrate the ability in all of us to profoundly affect the commu-
GenCure also operates the Texas Cord Blood Bank, collecting, nity. This month take the time to encourage even one person you
processing and storing umbilical cord blood donated by mothers know to go out and donate.
after healthy births. Cord blood is a rich source of stem cells and
can be used as an alternative to bone marrow transplants when
matches have not been found. Last year, 48 cord blood units col-
lected by GenCure were sent for transplant around the world. A
success story via cord blood is A.J. Salazar, who was diagnosed with
acute myeloid leukemia when he was 4 years old. He started college
in the fall of 2014 – thanks in large part to a cord blood transplant.
The cord blood was collected when his sister Brianna was born two
months after his diagnosis.

“They’re stunned every time I tell the story,”
said Roxanne Salazar, their mother. “Brianna
can’t believe she actually helped save her brother’s
life. We explain to them what happened and that
Brianna gave him a second chance.”

The recipients are the biggest cheerleaders for donation. From
those who give blood products, to those called to save a life via stem
cells, to mothers who donate umbilical cord blood, many understand
the need to be part of something bigger than themselves.

visit us at www.bcms.org 13