About Kethan

Ten-year-old Kethan was first diagnosed with leukemia (ALL) in 2006 at the age of four. He beat it twice but now it’s back for a third time. His doctors say his best hope for survival is a bone marrow transplant. The problem is finding a donor match. Kethan is of South Asian descent and Asian donors only make up seven percent of the bone marrow donor database.

Because the markers used in matching are inherited, patients are more likely to match someone from their own race or ethnicity. Adding more donors from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds to the database increases the likelihood that all patients will find the match they need.

Since no match has been found, Kethan’s doctors are having to move forward with an alternative treatment because of no match. Unfortunately, there are thousands of stories similar to Kethan’s. Please register as a bone marrow donor and help improve the statistics for finding a bone marrow match.

So, what happens if you are a match? Once you are registered, you are in the database until your 61st birthday and could be matched at any time. Please go to www.getswabbed.org to understand more about this process and what it entails.

Monday, July 30, 2012

Progress Report [July 30]


Yesterday was the big drive in Austin, Texas! Here are the results of yesterday's drive:
  • Number of donors registered yesterday: 359
  • Donations accepted yesterday: $6,756
  • Online donations to date: $345
  • 30 online requests from Austin for kits over the weekend
Thank you to all who came and who have been spreading the word!
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Friday, July 27, 2012

Bone Marrow Donor Drive This Weekend in Austin, Texas!

Sunday, July 29th, 2012
12:00 p.m.- 5 p.m.
Ronald McDonald House
1315 Barbara Jordan Blvd. (next to Dell Children's Medical Center)
Austin, Texas 78723
Free Parking

You can change the odds for patients like Kethan and so many others in need of a bone marrow transplant. All it takes is a simple cheek swab, and you can become a hero in waiting. Please join us on Sunday and bring along some friends! All ethnicities are needed and welcome! We need to BROADEN and DIVERSIFY the registry! TOGETHER WE CAN DO THIS!!
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Friday, July 20, 2012

Attention Everyone in Arlington and Sugar Land, Texas

Date: Saturday, July 21st, 2012
Time: 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Place: Grace Preparatory Academy
               3300 West Interstate 20
               Arlington, TX 76017


Date: Sunday, July 22, 2012
Time: 11am to 4pm
Place: Udipi Cafe
              3551 Highway 6 S  
              Sugar Land, TX 77478
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Progress Report [July 20]

Two weeks ago, there was a bone marrow drive for Cure for Kethan in Tampa, Florida. Thanks to Dr. Vijay Mehta and the donors, 95 people have been added to the bone marrow registry! With your commitment, we are saving lives.
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Thursday, July 19, 2012


Please take a few minutes to watch this eye-opening MSNBC story...

http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nightly-news/48142203#48142203
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Progress Report [July 19]

Last Sunday, July 15th the Dallas/Fort Worth Hindu Temple conducted a drive where they added 75 individuals to the bone marrow registry! To top it off, they will be holding drives every Sunday for the next 3 months. Thank you, D/FW Hindu Temple for your outstanding work. A special thank you to Mahalakshmi Sivakumar for taking charge and to Mr.Chinni and Mr. Sriram Raju for their support. We truly are making progress and should keep this momentum going. Together we can build the registry!
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Monday, July 16, 2012

Save the Date: Austin, TX


BECOME A LIFESAVER!
BONE MARROW DONOR DRIVE                                           
Sunday, July 29, 2012
12:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Ronald McDonald House
1315 Barbara Jordan Blvd.
(next to Dell Children’s Medical Center)
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