By Marivi Prado - St. Thomas University
Photographer: COURTESY PHOTO
Msgr. Franklyn M. Casale, St. Thomas University's president, provides a swab sample to the organization Sharing America’s Marrow (SAM). The swabs - more than 300 of them - came during a "Donor Jam" event spearheaded by St. Thomas' softball team. The samples were collected to identify potential bone marrow donors for 22-year-old Sam Kimura and thousands of other patients fighting blood cancer and other diseases.
MIAMI GARDENS | Swabbing — not swatting — was the order of the day as St. Thomas University's softball team held a “Donor Jam” Feb. 17 to find potential donors of bone marrow for people dealing with cancer and other diseases.
At the end of the day, softball team members had registered 331 potential donors — besting the previous high of 298 set by the University of Alabama.
The softball players "swabbed" the cheeks of St. Thomas students, staff, faculty and administrators from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on campus; then they added fans to the mix during the school’s basketball game against Florida Memorial and the baseball game versus Nova Southeastern.
The Donor Jam helped the Sharing America's Marrow (SAM) campaign started by sisters Sam and Alex Kimura and their friend Taylor Shorten in collaboration with Delete Blood Cancer. Their goal is to dispel the myths of bone marrow donation, educate the public on the importance of registration and register as many people as possible to become potential donors.
Sam Kimura, 22, is fighting a rare bone marrow disease and has yet to find a donor for the transplant that would cure her. SAM is traveling to all 50 states in hopes of finding a donor for Sam Kimura and thousands of other patients like her.
"It was such a great experience for the softball team to help the SAM organization and an amazing learning experience for myself and my teammates," said third baseman Natalie Sacramento. "They were so pleased with the way St. Thomas took this project and ran with it and said we did the most work and planning out of all the schools they have visited so far."
Participation in the campaign is an example of St. Thomas’ commitment to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Champions of Character program, which promotes integrity, respect, responsibility, sportsmanship and servant leadership among athletes.
Potential bone marrow donors must be between the ages of 18 and 55, in general good health and willing to donate to any patient in need. Signing up is easy: It consists of completing a registration form and swabbing the inside of the mouth. Any registrant could be the cure for a patient fighting a blood cancer.
To learn more about the SAM campaign and the registration and donation process, please visit www.sharemarrow.com.
