Over the past few weeks, Centenary College has partnered with Be The Match to host a stem cell donor drive. The first two drives were on November 18th and 19th, with the third date being offered on December 3rd. These National Marrow Drives are intended to find a donor for David Turrisi-Chung, the spouse of Centenary professor Kathy Turrisi. David lives with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), which prevents the bone marrow from producing the right amount of blood cells.
About the Drives
The final drive on December 3rd will be held at Centenary College’s Edward W. Seay Administration Building in the Sunken Lounge. From 5-8 PM, people can register for the National Marrow Donor Program by providing a cheek swab. Using this swab, a potential donor’s DNA information is identified and entered into a database.
If anyone is found to be a possible match for David, they move to the next step and provide a blood sample. Upon confirming the match, the donor will provide their stem cells via a simple donation procedure.
This drive is not the only opportunity to support David. On the same day, the Turrisi-Chung Family Fundraiser Dinner & Silent Auction will be held at the Front Parlours in the Edward W. Seay Administration Building at 6 PM. For $50, guests receive a wine tasting, auction preview, hor d’oeuvres, and buffet dinner. The auction will end at 8 PM.
You can call 908-852-1400 ext. 2300 to learn more about both the auction and the donor drive.
About MDS
MDS are a group of conditions that stop the bone marrow from producing the correct amount of blood cells. Medical professionals aren’t exactly sure why this happens, but they suspect that a genetic predisposition plays a role, as do environmental triggers like chemotherapy or exposure to certain chemicals. Symptoms include shortness of breath, chest pain, heart palpitations, pale skin, easy bruising and bleeding, and being more prone to infection. MDS also often progresses into acute myeloid leukemia (AML).
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