A Quick Swab in Your Mouth to Register as Marrow Donor May Help SMB Nation Employee

Our friend Regina Ciardiello over at SMB Nation posted an urgent blog post yesterday regarding another friend Jeremiah Ilges. See her post here: http://www.smbnation.com/index.php/news/news/entry/urgent-please-register-as-marrow-donor-to-help-smb-nation-employee

Jeremiah is battling a disease called Aplastic Anemia.

Jeremiah Ilges

Jeremiah has been in and around the SMB IT community for several years. He has been the official photographer for several events, including the MSP Revolution and many SMB Nation events. This year he joined SMB Nation as a salesman as well. Last Friday he took a leave for medical reasons.

Aplastic Anemia happens with the bone marrow stops making blood cells for the body. Jeremiah's condition has reached a critical stage. He needs a bone marrow transplant as soon as possible. He gives some more detail on his blog: My Bone Marrow Has Failed! Will You Help?


From that blog:

“Nothing can stop my marrow from completely failing now, and that's exactly what it is doing. “My likelihood of survival without a transplant is 0%. With a transplant it's between 60-80%. I'll take those odds and fight on! With your help I can win!”


Helping is Easy

To register as a bone marrow donor, just go to www.marrow.org and register. You will receive a donor kit. You swab the inside of your mouth 4-6 times with a Q-Tip and ship it back. Your DNA is tested to see if you could be a match. No needles, no pain. It will take 5 minutes of your time. You can also register locally through many blood drives.

And of course, once registered, you might be a match for someone else who needs bone marrow.

My prayers are with Jeremiah, his wife, and their three daughters.

I know it's a holiday, but if you could take a few minutes to register online, it might do them a world of good.

. . . and thanks to Regina and SMB Nation for putting out the word.

:-)