At UnityPoint Health – Fort Dodge, our patients continually count on us. They look to us for healing, support and guidance. For our patients battling blood diseases, like leukemia or lymphoma, a marrow or stem-cell transplant may be their only cure. Be The Match, operated by the National Marrow Donor Program, continually educates and adds individuals to their worldwide database bringing hope to patients for a match and a cure.

Be The Match is also very personal for me. In October 2020, my dad was hospitalized with a fever and doctors discovered a very unusual lab profile. They diagnosed him with Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS) and Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (HLH). Soon after, my dad started weekly chemotherapy treatments and will continue until a cure is found.

The only cure for my dad is a bone marrow transplant. Last June, doctors started searching for a match for my dad. They started with his six brothers – none were a match. The doctors then went on a worldwide search – no match was found. Without a 100 percent match, the doctors felt the risks outweighed the benefits, and getting a transplant was put on hold.

70,000 people a year receive stem cell transplants. By adding names to the database, we continue to have hope an eligible match will be found for my dad, and so many others fighting blood diseases.

Recently, UnityPoint Health – Fort Dodge hosted two Be The Match – Blood Stem Cell or Bone Marrow, registry drives. We partnered with Iowa Central Community College for one and the other took place here at Trinity Regional Medical Center. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who participated and volunteered to make these drives a success. We are beyond thrilled to share we had 87 individuals who joined the registry to be a stem-cell / bone marrow donor for a patient in need of a life-saving transplant. That’s 87 lives that could be saved from these drives. What an incredible gift!

If you were not able to join us and are between 18 to 40 years old, it’s not too late to join. Simply text UPHFD to 61474 to register online and Be The Match will mail you a swabbing kit. It literally only takes minutes to sign up and collect a sample of cells by swabbing your cheek. The cells will determine your human leukocyte antigens (HLA), which are then compared with those of patients in need. After returning the sample swab, you’ll receive a confirmation if you have been accepted and placed in the database.

Next steps, if you match with a patient and move forward with donating, the process is very similar to donating blood. Before a donation, you are given medicine to help accelerate the growth of your cells. Your bone marrow / stem-cells will be retrieved and then frozen or freshly delivered to the recipient. Afterwards, your cells grow back to your normal level.

Again, I want to thank everyone from the bottom of my heart who signed up. My prayer is that you are the cure for someone in need.

Leah Glasgo is the presidents and chief executive officer of UnityPoint Health – Fort Dodge.