CORPUS CHRISTI, TX — September is childhood cancer awareness month, and Leticia Mondragon from 'Be the Match' bone marrow registry visited the KRIS 6 Sunrise Show to discuss how the organization helps children with blood cancers.
'Be the Match' is a non-profit organization that establishes connections for individuals who are diagnosed with life-threatening blood cancers like leukemia, lymphoma, and other diseases that necessitate bone marrow donors.
"Be The Match is the most diverse registry in the nation. When a patient has been recently diagnosed with a life-threatening blood cancer, such as leukemia — when they reach out to our organization, it's basically their last chance for hope, their last chance for survival. 70% of all patients who have been recently diagnosed with a life-threatening blood cancer or blood disorder, leukemia, or lymphoma; they need to find a match outside of their family. Only 30% of them have a match in their family, and when we go matching a patient with a donor, it all has to do with ethnic background. So this is why it's so important for us to diversify our registry," Leticia Mondragon said.
A 30-second cheek swab opens the door to a worldwide donor registry, allowing the opportunity to help save a life.
For more information on 'Be the Match,' visit their website here.
