A student organization hopes to register 100 students to donate bone marrow for cancer patients in two bone marrow drives.
Asian Pacific American Student Organization (APASO), group affiliates Hapa Asian Pacific Alliance, alpha Kappa Delta Phi and Shaw Hall racial ethnic aides held the first of two drives to register students on a bone-marrow donation list.
The first drive was held Tuesday, and a second drive will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m Monday in the East Shaw Hall lower lounge.
APASO is holding the drive for MAVIN Foundation's second National Campus and Community Marrow-thon on 30 college campuses for the MatchMaker Bone Marrow Project.
"Each person can make a difference because by bringing people in to donate marrow or blood. We're increasing the chances to find a donor," said Bindi Patel, supply chain management and international relations senior.
Patel, who was working on the drive, said although the turnout is less than they had hoped, she's pleased with the people who came.
Others want to increase diversity with the event.
"There's such a lack of multiracial people on the registry," said Marc Johnston, co-president of APASO.
He said its goal is to have 100 people registered, and they got 36 people registered Tuesday. "It was less than we wanted," he said.
A small amount of blood was drawn from students who registered so their blood type could be determined. If a match is found, that person on the list will be contacted. But the chances of that happening are fairly slim.
"It's usually a family member that's the closest," said dietetics freshman Melissa Truman, who was registering to donate because she found out her friend's cousin was diagnosed with leukemia. "I just came because if it was someone in your family, why not help out if you can?"
Truman admitted she'd be a little nervous if she was a match.
"I guess I'll think about that if it happens," she said.
Supply chain management junior Jenny Yang registered to donate marrow, but was also volunteering as a part of Hapa Asian Pacific Alliance. She said she's happy to be a part of the registry to help someone in need.
"I want to save a life," she said.
