OCCC’s nursing program is partnering up with Delete Blood Cancer DKMS to host a bone marrow donor drive on campus for faculty, students and staff Tuesday, March 10, said Nursing Program Director Deborah Myers

Delete Blood Cancer is the largest bone marrow donor center in the world.

This drive aims to increase awareness and help patients battling blood cancer by teaching participants the process of donation and how they can become registered to save lives.

Myers said OCCC volunteers from the nursing program will be onsite to assist in registration and donation.

“Participants will be swabbed with a cotton swab to sample saliva,” she said.

Nursing Professor Karen McCauley said the swabbed cotton ball will be put in an envelope and sent to a donor bank until someone needs it.

“Then you will be contacted to see if you would want to donate,” she said.

“Most people think with the bone marrow drives that they are painful, but what we want people to know is that there will be no needle in bone, they are just registering.”

Those between the ages of 18 and 55 in good health are eligible and highly encouraged to participate.

Participants can even register for a donor kit to be sent to their house.

Myers said the drive will last from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the OCCC Campus Dining Hall and the coffee shop area in the Main Building.

She said registration is quick and easy and for anyone who cannot attend, but is interested in the donor drive, registration also is offered online at www.DeleteBloodCancer.org

To contact Jaelen Brock, email onlineeditor@occc.edu