When a child is fatally ill with leukemia, a stem cell match can mean restored health and a chance to live. <\/p>\n
If the child is Caucasian, there is a reasonable chance a stem cell donor will be found. If the little one is of a different ethnicity, chances are slim. <\/p>\n
The sad truth is that if the sick person is in an ethnic group and if no family member matches, then there is a very slim chance of finding a match, even with 20 million people in the registry across the world, Dr. Mohammed Almohammadi said Friday. <\/p>\n
The use of stem cells what Almohammadi calls seeds for restored health is increasing for a variety of illnesses, but mainly in blood and marrow diseases like leukemia and lymphoma. The stem cells extracted from a healthy match can help the ill person grow new cells, which often leads to a new lease on life. <\/p>\n
Almohammadi, one of the organizers of a registration event Saturday in Halifax, says in some parts of the world, the idea of stem cell therapy seems like a luxury. <\/p>\n
There are some places that are fighting disease like Ebola and dont even have registries like this, he said. <\/p>\n
We are hoping we can convince more ethnic minorities to become aware of the registry system so that those who need a stem cell donation could have a better chance, he added. <\/p>\n
There is a lack of information out there and there are some fears and myths about it but we hope to dispel the myths and increase understanding of how important this is. <\/p>\n
All it is is a swab is placed in the mouth and a sample from inside your mouth is taken. Thats all registration is. Its very simple and its sent away and put into a registry so that if someone needs help, you have the choice to help. <\/p>\n
Canadian Blood Services is responsible for registering donors in Canada, part of the OneMatch network thats linked to registries around the world. <\/p>\n
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More diversity needed for stem cell registry, MD says<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" When a child is fatally ill with leukemia, a stem cell match can mean restored health and a chance to live. If the child is Caucasian, there is a reasonable chance a stem cell donor will be found Continue reading