Attention Everyone in KL and the East Bay Area

Just a reminder that there are TWO bone marrow donor registration drives coming up this week!


Kuala Lumpur Marrow Donor Registration Drive

Date: Friday, July 13th

Time: 8:30 a.m.

Place: Institute for Medical Research (IMR), next to the General Hospital of   

          Kuala Lumpur (GHKL). 

RSVP: Please email Siew Chin Duraiappah at siewchin.tan@gmail.com to 

          let her know you are coming and receive more details. 

Everyone will meet in front of the IMR building at 8:30 a.m. sharp. 

East Bay Marrow Donor Registration Drive

Date:  July 15, 2012 (DKMS, CA)

Time: 11 a.m.-6p.m.

Place: BAYVP Annual Picnic at Fremont Central Park,
Fremont, CA

Hope to see you all there!

What does being a bone marrow donor involve?

•  Registering is quick and easy!  After eligibility is determined, you will be asked to swab the inside of both cheeks with a cotton swab. The process, including some paperwork, takes 5 to 10 minutes.  Approximately 3 weeks later, your name and contact information will be placed on the National Marrow Donor Program’s registry. 
•  If you are found to be a match for Kethan (or another patient), you will be contacted and asked to come for further testing to confirm that you are match. 
•  Today, most donations (70-80%) do not require surgery but are done through Peripheral   Blood Stem Cell Donation (PBSC), a procedure similar to donating blood. In the remaining 20-30% of cases, a short painless outpatient procedure is required. For more information, please visit  http://www.dkmsamericas.org/educate. 
• YOU COULD POTENTIALLY SAVE A LIFE!

Team Kethan, we CAN change the GAME for Kethan! But in order to do so, we have to ACT and ACT NOW. Get involved in any of the various drives being organized. Sign up to get swabbed. With every registration, we improve the odds. Madhuri Kumar is organizing a drive with Puja Mishra in Houston, Texas. If you are in the Greater Houston area or have family or friends in the area, spread the word. Make the rallying call. Reach Team Kethan Houston at madhuri36@gmail.com.

Bone marrow donor drives for Kethan and others will be held in Austin, Houston and Brisbane, Australia later this month. The dates and details are still being determined, so please check this blog periodically and the "Cure for Kethan" Facebook page for the latest information! Also, there will be a drive in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia THIS Friday. Please see the post below for details.

Calling all of Kethan's friends and family in Malaysia!

There will be a marrow donor drive next week in Kuala Lumpur sponsored by Kethan's family in Malaysia. Below are the details:

Date: Friday, July 13th

Time: 8:30 a.m.

Place: Institute for Medical Research (IMR), next to the General Hospital of   

          Kuala Lumpur (GHKL). 

RSVP: Please email Siew Chin Duraiappah at siewchin.tan@gmail.com to 

          let her know you are coming and receive more details. 

Everyone will meet in front of the IMR building at 8:30 a.m. sharp. 

Kethan's friends and DKMS are planning a big bone marrow donor drive in Austin, Texas. Please stay tuned for the date and time! If you are willing and able to help plan the drive, please join us at the Kick-Off meeting on Sunday July 8th at St. Andrew's Episcopal School (Lower School), 1112 West 31st Street, Austin, TX, 78705. The meeting will be held at the Lower School Library. Please e-mail any questions to teamkethan@gmail.com. 

Here is a picture of Kethan that was taken on 5/18/12, the day he received an iPad3 from his schoolmates at St. Andrew's School. The students came together to buy Kethan a gift that he could enjoy during his extended hospital stays.

Let's work together to find this beautiful boy a bone marrow match!!