Representatives from ‘Be The Match’ will be on the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh campus testing individuals for possible bone marrow matches in the main lobby area of Reeve Memorial Union April 29 and 30.
- Tuesday, April 29 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
- Wednesday, April 30 from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
The testing process is simple–each individual will receive a mouth swab from their cheek which will then be sent to a lab for possible matches. If an individual is a match, a ‘Be The Match’ rep will be in touch at a later date to discuss next steps in the donor process process. It’s important to note that this is an opportunity to save a life, however it requires a surgical procedure.
To be tested at the Reeve Union site, a registration form is required to be filled out and a mouth/cheek swab will be taken. The process should take about 15-20 minutes.
Last time a ‘Be The Match’ drive was held on the UW Oshkosh campus, more than 500 students were swabbed; six of those people were initial matches. In 2011, a UW Oshkosh student was a match. (Read more).
Anyone between the ages of 18 and 44 years old is eligible to be tested; individuals then stay on the match registry until the age of 61 years old.
‘Be The Match’ is operated by the National Marrow Donor Program. For the last 25 years, the program has managed the largest and most diverse registry in the world. ‘Be The Match’ offers one-on-one support to patients and families throughout the transplant journey.
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