kunjufu, dm not sure if this should be giving a sticky but i think its important as many people as possible watch this.



from channel 4 website:

Eighteen months ago, Brian Daley aka DJ Swing, was one of the most successful R&B DJs of his generation. He beat Fatboy Slim to win the MOBO award for best DJ and he was playing clubs across the world. But in June 2004 DJ Swing was told he had developed multiple myeloma, a rare cancer of the bone marrow. His only chance of a cure is a bone marrow transplant. With no suitable donors in his family, DJ Swing has to hope that there is a perfect match somewhere out there. But as an African Caribbean the chances of finding this perfect donor can be as low as one in a 100,000. If Swing were white the odds would be around one in five. Saving DJ Swing follows a unique campaign to find this match.

LINK: http://snipurl.com/h3tm

thankyou. niceone.gif

Thanks NT

I know this guy quite well but havent seen him for some time and didnt know this about him.

So an obvious heart felt connection here and would want to give blood for a test.

Thanks very much NT.

I will watch this,I donated blood a few times as a teen,but I dont know the ins and outs of bone marrow donation,ive heard its quite painful-I dont know if this is a myth or not.

But if I watch this and find out more info I will consider being on the database for donors....operative word consider.

Yes please do watch the program. I am still shockedby the number of people who aren't aware how to go about registering as a potential donor.

If you are interested but not sure what it entails please do your research http://www.anthonynolan.org.ukis a good place, you can register here also you can find out more about the different types of treatment you can participate in if you are found to be a match but do not want to give a marrow.

It'sa very simple process.... all you've got to do is register,they will then send you a kit whichyou'll need to take to your GP and he/she will take your blood and take it from there, 20 minutes max of your time.

Did you know that there are over 3 million registered donors in Germanybut only around 700,000 in Britain in which only 2% are from African/Black communities. Could you imagine if it was your child whose life depended on finding a match from mere 2% of 700,000 (you do the math).

Shocking really.

Received an email about this yesterday.

I will definitely try to watch this (if my parents are not hogging the television).

yep i got an email about this too

i am guessing pregnant women cant register till after the birth and all follow up clinic check.

will bear this in mind for the future though. had considered when i was younger but never saw it through

yo, did anyone watch this?

blessings go out to all the people featured on this programme.

ill pray for you all.

- peace.

Yeah I watched and im ashamed to say im still not overly enthusiatic about registering on a world-widedatabase,furthermore I didnt glean any new info about the actual bone marrow donation procedure once it is found you are a match.

I feel like this,I would go and have my blood tested tomorrow if it was a private blood-test and just for these individuals featured but there are some things which bother me which wont allow me to go on a worldwide data-base.

So if any of the featured families/friends happen to be members of Blacknet and want me to gettested and I can get my vial of blood back afterwards and I dont have to be on a database,then feel free to contact me here via the PM and i,ll be there,I swear on my life!

hi, jett black i understand what your saying.

however to me this is a far wider issue than just the people we saw about today.

it speaks volumes about the postion of black people in this country and our access to health services.

i am deeply disturbed by what i saw, ill try and collect my thoughts and come back to you.

Yeh i watched it really made mevery sad.Imagine your life depending on the generosity of people willing to give a bit of themselves.

@Jett i understand your concern i really do, and i don't blame you... but i hope you'll do a bit more reaserch on the subject,never know you might findthat saving a persons life might be worth the risk?

Here is a bit of info reagrding treatment and risks involved.

1.How is bone marrow obtained for transplantation?

The stem cells used in BMT (Bone marrow transplantation) come from the liquid centre of the bone, called the marrow. In general, the procedure for obtaining bone marrow, which is called “harvesting,� is similar for all three types of BMTs (autologous, syngeneic, and allogeneic). The donor is given either general anaesthesia, which puts the person to sleep during the procedure, or regional anaesthesia, which causes loss of feeling below the waist. Needles are inserted through the skin over the pelvic (hip) bone or, in rare cases, the sternum (breastbone), and into the bone marrow to draw the marrow out of the bone.

Harvesting the marrow takes about an hour. The harvested bone marrow is then processed to remove blood and bone fragments. Harvested bone marrow can be combined with a preservative and frozen to keep the stem cells alive until they are needed. This technique is known as cryopreservation.

Risks associated with donating bone marrow?

Because only a small amount of bone marrow is removed, donating usually does not pose any significant problems for the donor. The most serious risk associated with donating bone marrow involves the use of anaesthesia during the procedure.
The area where the bone marrow was taken out may feel stiff or sore for a few days, and the donor may feel tired. Within a few weeks, the donor’s body replaces the donated marrow; however, the time required for a donor to recover varies. Some people are back to their usual routine within 2 or 3 days, while others may take up to 3 to 4 weeks to fully recover their strength.

How are PBSCs (Peripheral Blood Stem Cell) obtained for transplantation?

The stem cells used in PBSCT come from the bloodstream. A process called apheresis or leukapheresis is used to obtain PBSCs for transplantation. For 4 or 5 days before apheresis, the donor may be given a medication to increase the number of stem cells released into the bloodstream. In apheresis, blood is removed through a large vein in the arm or a central venous catheter (a flexible tube that is placed in a large vein in the neck, chest, or groin area). The blood goes through a machine that removes the stem cells. The blood is then returned to the donor and the collected cells are stored. Apheresis typically takes 4 to 6 hours. The stem cells are then frozen until they are given to the recipient.

Risks associated with donating PBSCs?

Apheresis usually causes minimal discomfort. During apheresis, the person may feel light-headedness, chills, numbness around the lips, and cramping in the hands. Unlike bone marrow donation, PBSC donation does not require anaesthesia. The medication that is given to stimulate the release of stem cells from the marrow into the bloodstream may cause bone and muscle aches, headaches, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, and/or difficulty sleeping. These side effects generally stop within 2 to 3 days of the last dose of the medication.

http://cis.nci.nih.gov/fact/7_41.htm

abisinnia this issue is far biggr than just leukaemia.

i think we have a major problem with our access to all health services in this country.

we first noticed a problem with the provision of Mental Health Care for the black community.

I think in the next few years we are going to see major inequlities in the provison of all Cancer Care Services, we already are seeing black women dying in disproportionately high numbers from bresat and uterine cancers.



i dont see this problem going away and i except to hear about it again very soon.

I understand your frustration Native, i personally have given up on expecting anything better from this government or any other government when it concerns African/Black communities interests. It's not going to happen, they aren’t here to look after our well-being, they have there own people to look after. We must do that ourselves. We seriously need to get organised and look after our interest