Cayman adds bone-marrow donors
Jennifer Weber, of the Cayman Islands Cancer Society, with Rohan Marshall, of Decco
(CNS): The Caribbean Bone Marrow Registry has added 143 new donors after holding two drives in Cayman over the past month. The registry’s goal is to reach 1000 registered donors by the end of the year. The recent drives were courtesy of Davenport Development Ltd and Decco Ltd. In the Caribbean, with a population comprising different cultures and ethnic backgrounds, it is extremely important to have as many potential donors as possible.
The most recent donor drive was held at the Kimpton Seafire Resort and Spa construction site in West Bay. The drive was facilitated by Decco senior manager Rohan Marshall, who decided to blend the event with a worker-appreciation lunch to help encourage registrations.
“You have to break the stigma that accompanies bone-marrow donation and registration,” Marshall said. “Many people are unaware of what the donation process is actually like. We’ve had to spend a couple of weeks going through that process. We’ve managed to get quite a few registrants today.”
Decco’s donation drive brought in 83 of the 143 new potential donors. Michael Jefferson was one of those who registered.
He explained why he took part. “I don’t mind helping people. If it came to a situation where I would need the help I would really like it if someone helped me out, so I decided to get registered. The process was quick and not difficult at all,” Jefferson said.
Marshall said that hosting the registry drive was an easy decision to make. “It’s good for us, number one, but more importantly it’s good for the community as a whole,” he said. “When we have a situation like this, with many regional employees working one location, we have a unique opportunity to make a difference.”
He added that he would encourage other businesses to contact the Cayman Islands Cancer Society about hosting their own drives.
“What if you get sick 10 years from now and you need to find a donor?” he said. “You would hope that your family members can or will help you, but if they are unable to, what comes next?”
Any companies interested in hosting a registration drive can contact the Cayman Islands Cancer Society at 949-7618
Category: Medical and Health
