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> I tried to explain if enough people are on this list, it might could help in marrow donations or something like that. He doesn’t know and I don’t either.

I don’t know about DNA being useful for unrelated bone marrow donations, but I would encourage you and your husband to volunteer for the unrelated bone marrow donation list anyway.

It is usually tested in two steps: the first set of tests are relatively easy and inexpensive for the health services to do. And they provide enough info for them to screen “close matches”.

The second set of tests they do is quite a bit more expensive for them, so they only tend to do it when they have found a close match. They will be looking for some very precise attributes in the sample.

Only if you are a close enough match from both lot of tests will you be called upon to donate, which usually requires an overnight stay in hospital, plus a fairly safe procedure under general anesthetic. All costs are usually picked up for the donor.

You can pull out of donating anytime; however, they prefer you not to beyond a go-nogo point, as your recipient will undergo chemotherapy to kill off all his/her existing diseased marrow. Beyond that point it is too late for them if you do pull out: they will die without your donation.

Once donated, your marrow is given to the recipient by way of ordinary IV drip, where it magically finds its way to the long bones and regenerates.

Anyrate, that’s just a short plug for a thoroughly worthwhile cause. If enough people registered, leukemia and other marrow diseases would be much easier and cheaper to treat, with a much higher survival rate than presently possible.

(Yes, I’m registered.)