Please consider.... saving a life

I have written several times about the need for registering more people to the national donor marrow registry on my blogs and other places.  As you may know, my own life has been touched by this - I lost a brother several years ago who didn't find a marrow match - and I'm heavily committed to this cause for the rest of my life.

But if possible, here's more information to make you want to understand the emergency of this situation. Every week, I come by several news items where some local (to bay area) patients are waiting for a marrow match. According to the National Marrow Donor registry numbers, there is a severe shortage of Asian, African American and mixed ethnic donors registered.

As you may know finding a bone marrow match literally makes a difference between living and dying to the patient. There is likely, no other charitable action you can do with a greater, direct and potentially immediate impact to a person in need. Additionally the registration process is non invasive and takes only 10 minutes. The donation process too, is easy, safe, cost free to the donor and an outpatient procedure.

Please see attached videos - also posted on my blog page (right hand side, scroll down) for more details on the process of registering and what happens next, if you do turn out to match a patient.




Today I heard from someone who's family member is in need. My sincere wish is that no other family goes through what our family went through in those trying times. And no one else need ever lose a family member to this. Make a miracle happen this Christmas. Please register, where ever you maybe and whichever racial ethnicity you belong to, as long as you meet their requirements for health.

Asian donors please start at http://www.aadp.org/pages/main.php?pageid=16&pagecategory=1
Other ethnicities please visit http://www.marrow.org/JOIN/index.html?src=tabjoin

My work on this will never end. I keep trying to get higher numbers of people to come register at the drives I host. In fact I am hosting one tomorrow in my near neighborhood.

But the most important thing to remember is, that we get people to register through any channel possible. Here's how you can help:

• Check the links above, and find a way to register, wherever you may be. Every person registered is a potential life saved. 
• Spread the word, be a champion for this cause and help get more people registered.

Happy Holidays!
Gigi A.K.A Gitanjali

Written by: Ms. Gitanjali GulveSehgal AKA Ms. Gitanjali Gulve Sehgal AKA Ms. Gigi Sehgal Copyright © 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 Gigi Sehgal a.k.a G G Sehgal a.k.a Gitanjali Gulve Sehgal All rights reserved.

Tis the season of giving

The season of giving is fast approaching, but the season of need is year round.

As you may know from my prior blogs, I'm very committed to the cause of bone marrow donor drives since a personal tragedy touched my family's life. While I'm not personally affiliated to AADP , other than in a purely volunteer capacity, I can vouch for the work they are doing in filling this need and saving lives every day. I'm also swelled with pride that my local farmers' market continues to donate space for free for this worthy cause asking nothing in return. My mention on this blog, is purely voluntary as well.

On Friday Nov 19th, I'm hosting a bone marrow drive with the help of AADP an awesome non profit organization devoted to helping find matches for patients whom a bone marrow transplant is a last hope for life.

Location: Cupertino, California : Farmer's market (Vallco Mall)
When:     Nov 19th 9-1:00 PM PST

• The need to find a match is very great. 
• The actual process for registering to be a marrow donor is a simple cheek swab & a form to fill. It will take about 10 minutes of your time.
• No money or donations will be collected. The cost is assumed by the organization.
• Your information & sample will be stored with the national donor registry database in a manner which protects your privacy to the utmost. This database is used strictly to benefit patients in need of a marrow donation. 
• Should you be a match to a needy patient, 
• You will be contacted and have the benefit of a session with a doctor who's main focus will be to ensure you satisfy health requirements for a donor AND to answer any questions you may have.
• The procedure of marrow donation is an outpatient procedure.
• About 70% of the time (depending on the age of the patient) a simple blood transfusion like process is employed to extract marrow cells from your body.
• For the remaining 30% of the cases, the marrow will be extracted from your bone. This too is an outpatient procedure. The pain involved has been described to me as something that enables you to go about your business, work as normal, right after.
• For more information check out http://www.aadp.org

Bay area! Come on show your strength and compassion :) and get in the business of saving lives!

And besides the farmer's market has some really good lunch options. Check them out!

Written by: Ms. Gitanjali GulveSehgal AKA Ms. Gitanjali Gulve Sehgal AKA Ms. Gigi Sehgal

Copyright © 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 Gigi Sehgal a.k.a G G Sehgal a.k.a Gitanjali Gulve Sehgal  All rights reserved.