Students Sponsor Event at UA for ‘Be the Match Registry’

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Pi Kappa Phi fraternity and Chi Omega sorority at The University of Alabama are hosting a registration drive on Wednesday, Feb. 24, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. for volunteers to be entered into “Be the Match Registry,” a national database of potential bone marrow donors.

The drive will be held at the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity house and on UA’s Sorority Row.

The event is being held in support of Blaise and Madeline Finnegan. Blaise is a UA freshman and member of Pi Kappa Phi and his sister, Madeline, is a freshman at Huntsville High School. Both have Fanconi anemia and aplastic anemia, diseases of the bone marrow and blood that often lead to acute myeloid leukemia.

“The reason for the drive is that due to the effects of the diseases Blaise and Madeline are susceptible to other infections and diseases that, in many cases, can be life threatening. Currently, neither Blaise nor Madeline have a bone marrow donor on the registry should a situation arise where they needed a life-saving transplant,” says Phillip Dean of UA’s Pi Kappa Phi fraternity.

The UA drive is not a bone marrow donation event, it is only to register volunteers who will be entered into a national database of donors. “The process is quite simple and entirely painless, simply a cotton swab of the inside of the cheek that will tell doctors all they need to know should a situation arise where donation is needed,” Dean explained.

“Although painless and simple for the person registering, make no mistake, this small act could be the difference in life and death for Blaise or Madeline,” he added.

There is no charge to participate and all members of the campus community are invited to participate in the event.