Twenty-three year old Perth woman Lauren Menegola is running out of time and you might be the person to help her.
Not long after her 21st Birthday, Lauren was diagnosed with a very aggressive type of leukaemia, myeloid leukaemia, and with her rare tissue type, doctors have been looking for a donor ever since.
A search of 20 million registered bone marrow donors throughout the world has, so far, yielded nothing.
Her father Bruno walked into The Record’s offices near Royal Perth Hospital today after having visited his daughter, asking this newspaper to publicise the need for donors.
Described by RPH staff as “an amazing young lady”, Lauren has made an appeal for donors as well, although not principally for herself.
“I want people to register, not just for me, but for all the other people and children in the world that are in the same position. The more people who register, the more lives can be saved,” Lauren said.
“It’s hard being in a position where there’s nothing you or your family can do to help – where your whole life depends on someone, someone you’ve never met, to come forward.”
RPH blood specialist Dr Matthew Wright said most people who donated bone marrow did not need a general anaesthetic and that it was as easy as giving a regular blood donation.
“In about 90-95 per cent of cases for adults, we can collect stem cells off blood with medication, which has made the process more comfortable,” he said.
Only one in 1,000 will be asked to donate for a patient requiring a transplant in any given year, according to the Australian Bone Marrow Donor Registry.
Potential donors must be healthy and aged between 18-45.
For more information, visit the Australian Bone Marrow Donor Registry website at www.abmdr.org.au or contact the Australian Red Cross Blood Service on 13 14 95.