If Your Of African Descent---Maybe You Can Help?

[bushart]

Tonight on my local news (Ottawa) was a story...about a young boy suffering from sickle cell.

 

Now this could be treated better if there were Stem Cell Donations more readily available.

 

The doctor said that if the patient was caucasian--there would be a 75% chance of a match

 

However In Canada AND The United States---donations are almost non-existent

 

So wether you participate in these discussions or just read---If You fit the need

 

Maybe you can help out?

 

It doe'snt hurt and could make some families a whole lot happier.

[Billy Bob]

I know black people do suffer more from some diseases and since there are a lot less blacks in your country and mine, getting stem cell donations are even harder then from white people. Even just plain blood donations can be a hard thing to get sometimes....just the way it is...

 

BTW since you brought up the subject....are you a organ donor ? ? ?

[bushart]

Actually BB--the doctor said the US is hurtin for donations as well

[Billy Bob]

Actually BB--the doctor said the US is hurtin for donations as well

 

I'm sure they are.....in all donation aspects.

[Ralph Field]

Stem cells can now be extracted from fatty tissue and can be used to help our bodies rebuild damaged areas. Suzzane Sommers is having a breast rebuilt this way after surviving breast cancer. If more people realized that stem cells can be extracted from fat ,perhaps more folks would be willing to donate.

[Locnar]

I know this will sound horrible. But I wonder if all still-born babies and aborted fetuses are harvested for stem cells? I mean, with abortions becoming more popular, I don't see why it has to go to waste. As for myself, now knowing that stem cells can be extracted from fatty tissues... I wonder how much fat it requires, I mean... every lipo suction can provide lots of stem cells.

[bushart]

I'm not an expert but I'm thinking that may open up a can of worms nobody would like

 

I talked with a fellow artist from Florida and he said he donated to his sister with leukemia--essentially saving her life.

[adempsey]

There are different types of stem cells. The cells they are talking about for the sickle cell anemia are specifically from bone marrow. Although you can basically harvest stem cells from almost any tissue, and even create them from "adult" cells, a lot of that research is still in it's infancy. The cells from bone marrow or blood can be used now to treat people - although, as far as I know even this treatment is still in the early stages since they don't have enough donors to test it out. So basically, they simply need more bone marrow donors.

 

As for harvesting embryonic or fetal tissue, there is a whole gamut of ethical issues tied to that. I know for certain it's used for research purposes, but I am not sure what tissue (if any) is collected for transplant.

[bushart]

I personally do not know alot about it---just what the doc said on the news last night.

 

He was making a plea for more cell donations from this community--is all I know??

 

Also This disease is quite painful---not even allowing the boy's mother to hold him due to it.