Optimist
  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Editorials
    • Letters to the Editor
  • Features
    • Book Review
  • Multimedia
    • Photo Galleries
    • Videos
  • Police Log
  • Print Edition
  • Projects
  • Classifieds
  • About
    • Advertise
    • Policies
    • Staff Contacts
    • Jobs
You are here: Home / News / Cornerstone classes compete in blood donor drive
Chelsea Fordham, DKMS student ambassador, registers blood marrow donors. (Photo by Vanessa Ellis)

Cornerstone classes compete in blood donor drive

November 3, 2016 by Vanessa Ellis

Students and alumni helped raise awareness about blood cancer through a blood donor drive Monday through Thursday in the McGlothlin Campus Center.

Volunteers register bone marrow donors

Volunteers register bone marrow donors

Sponsored by alumnus Early Young and nonprofit DKMS, the drive will be open from 10:30 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. and anyone can register or donate.

Chelsea Fordham, DKMS student ambassador for ACU, said all freshman Cornerstone classes were given an opportunity to compete for the participation in registering as a blood donor, donations and encouraging others to register. The winning class will receive a pizza party or ice cream sundae party.

Young, alumnus and Olympic gold medalist, was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in 2011, and a bone marrow transplant saved his life. Young has since become dedicated to deleting blood cancer and encouraging college students to become potential donors. Young partnered with international non-profit, DKMS, which focuses on educating the population about stem cell and bone marrow donations to help save the lives of people battling blood diseases. 

During the drive Young, students involved with DKMS and volunteers educated and registered students for the donor registration list to help patients in need find donor matches. The process involves learning more about bone marrow and stem cell donations, registering on a form and swabbing each cheek for a total of 30 seconds.

“Every person needs an exact genetic match,” Fordham said. “If you have a life threatening blood disease or cancer and need stem cells or a blood marrow donations, you need your specific match to survive.”

Fordham said after their cheeks are swabbed, potential donors’ genetic makeup gets tested and potentially matched to someone with blood cancer. If matched, the donor either undergoes a stem cells option, or a bone marrow transplant, a one to two hour surgical procedure. 

“You’ll wake up sore, but the feeling of being able to save a life last forever,” said Fordham. 

Donors can meet the recipient of their donation after one year.

Filed Under: News, Showcase

Other News:

  • Arch apartments receive complaints from students, issues with communication, maintenance

  • Undergraduate Research, Creativity and Innovation Festival accepting abstracts for presentations until Friday

  • Annual Lunar New Year celebration held by ASO

About Vanessa Ellis

You are here: Home / News / Cornerstone classes compete in blood donor drive

Other News:

  • Arch apartments receive complaints from students, issues with communication, maintenance

  • Undergraduate Research, Creativity and Innovation Festival accepting abstracts for presentations until Friday

  • Annual Lunar New Year celebration held by ASO

Follow us online

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Optimist on Twitter

acuoptimist The Optimist @acuoptimist ·
2 Feb

BREAKING: Campus will be operating remotely in the morning. Any classes after 1 p.m. will be in person.

Reply on Twitter 1620939263557734401 Retweet on Twitter 1620939263557734401 Like on Twitter 1620939263557734401 Twitter 1620939263557734401
acuoptimist The Optimist @acuoptimist ·
31 Jan

BREAKING: Campus will continue operating remotely Wednesday due to continued icy conditions.

Reply on Twitter 1620523455421779970 Retweet on Twitter 1620523455421779970 Like on Twitter 1620523455421779970 1 Twitter 1620523455421779970

Optimist on Facebook

The Optimist

1 week ago

The Optimist
ACU’s Alpha Psi Omega chapter raised money for the Living Waters Charity by putting on a show in the span of 24 hours. See more photos from our gallery: ... See MoreSee Less

Gallery: 24-Hour Musical tells the heartwarming story of Junie B. Jones - Optimist

acuoptimist.com

ACU’s Alpha Psi Omega chapter raised money for the Living Waters Charity by putting on a show in the span of 24 hours. This year, the department chose to perform the beloved children’s musical “...
View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

The Optimist

1 week ago

The Optimist
Greek Life has started a partnership with Campus Director, a software company that works with universities all over the country. Read more: ... See MoreSee Less

Student life implements new software, updates rushing process - Optimist

acuoptimist.com

Greek Life has started a partnership with Campus Director, a software company that works with universities all over the country. The Campus Director software has an algorithm programmed to match rushe...
View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

Videos

Optimist Newscast Jan. 25, 2023

Tune in to this week's newscast for a look at Greek Life rushing, the annual ... [Read More…]

  • Women’s tournament run ended by first-round exit against UTRGV
  • Optimist Newscast Feb. 22. 2022
  • Optimist Newscast 2.16.2022

Latest Photos

  • Home
  • Podcasts

© 2023 ACU Optimist · All Rights Reserved