Press releases

Yale-New Haven Hospital news release
Release date: October 27, 2005
Media contact: Mark D'Antonio, (203) 688-2493

Yale-New Haven Hospital teams up with Channel 3 for second annual bone marrow donor drive November 11

Yale-New Haven Hospital (YNHH) and WFSB Eyewitness News Channel 3 and the National Marrow Donor Program-New England (NMDP-NE) have teamed up for their second annual, two-location bone marrow donor drive in the New Haven and Hartford areas on Friday, November 11. November is National Marrow Donor Month.

This year's drives will take place at the Buckland Hills Mall in Manchester and at Yale-New Haven Hospital, 20 York Street, East Pavilion Cafeteria, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Rebecca Lobo, former UCONN women's basketball star and staunch supporter of bone marrow donor registry, is helping to promote the drive and is scheduled to visit Yale-New Haven Hospital the day of the drive. Eyewitness News personalities will visit both locations that day.

"Last year's donor drive with WFSB Eyewitness News was a big success and we want to repeat it this year," said Dennis Cooper, MD, medical oncologist and director of the Bone Marrow-Stem Cell Transplant Program at Yale-New Haven Hospital.

"If medicine and related treatments fail for patients with leukemia, they may be candidates for a bone marrow transplant," explained Dr. Cooper. "A transplant requires matching tissue types between the patient and donor. Tissue types are inherited, and 70 percent of patients do not have a matched donor in their family. These patients and those without siblings turn to the National Marrow Donor Program Registry to find a match."

By the end of this year, it is expected that 45 patients will have received a bone marrow transplant at Yale-New Haven Hospital. Nationally, the National Marrow Donor Program Registry facilitates almost 2,500 annually. The NMDP registry includes more than 5.5 million people who have volunteered to donate marrow or blood cells to any patient, anywhere in the world.

"We strongly encourage minority groups to attend the drives in New Haven and Hartford because minorities are underrepresented in the registry," said Dr. Cooper." "Recipients have the best chance of finding a match within their own ethnic group, and the national registry needs more registered donors among African Americans, Hispanics, Asians and American Indians." Last year's drive netted almost 400 donors in both locations - 10 percent of whom were minority donors.

"Once again, Channel 3 Eyewitness News is proud to be part of this team with Yale-New Haven Hospital," said Klarn Depalma, vice president and general manager, WFSB Eyewitness News. "Last year's efforts produced wonderful results, exceeding everyone's expectations. Not only did this team effort add several hundred names to the registry, it also increased awareness of the need for more diversity among registrants. I hope that anyone who considered joining last year takes this opportunity to turn that thought into a very special act of generosity and compassion."

Potential donors will watch a short video explaining the process. They will complete a consent form, fill out a health questionnaire and donate a small sample of blood. Donors must be between the ages of 18 and 60 and in reasonably good health.

"Since it began operations in 1987, the NMDP has facilitated more than 20,000 marrow or blood stem cell transplants for patients who do not have matching donors in their families," said Vicki Connors, director, NMDP of New England. "We're thrilled that Yale-New Haven and WFSB Channel 3 Eyewitness News are again teaming up to offer bone marrow testing. Their generosity offers hope to the thousands of patients in need of a transplant and we're proud to work with them again on November 11."

For more information on the donor drives, e-mail Susan Faraone, RN, Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplant coordinator at Yale-New Haven Hospital, at , or call Rob Montesi at WFSB Channel 3, (860) 244-1736. For more information on becoming a donor, please call the New England Marrow Donor Program at (800) 676-4545, or check out the NMDP website.

Reporters: For more information on this release, contact Mark D'Antonio, (203) 688-2493.

Return to: News Release Index

Last revised: November 1, 2005 (mv)

Home page URL: http://www.ynhh.org

All information is intended for your general knowledge and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for specific medical conditions. You should seek prompt medical care for any specific health issues and consult your physician before starting a new fitness regimen.