Students can help fellow Bulldog by entering bone marrow donor registry

I̢۪m a sophomore at Fresno State and I have an important favor to ask for a friend of mine.

A student at Fresno State is in dire need of a bone marrow transplant.

Kavon Momen, 23, was recently diagnosed with aplastic anemia, an autoimmune disorder in which white blood cells attack bone marrow.

As a young and otherwise healthy young man his prognosis is good if he gets a bone marrow transplant.
If he doesn’t, the prognosis isn’t good at all. Bone marrow transplants rely on matches of a small array of proteins (not the same ones that determine whether or not you’re a blood match — marrow transplants can be done across blood types).

In general, your best shot is in your family, but his has already been tested with no matches. Beyond that, the best chances are among people of similar ethnic descent (he is half-Iranian, half-Mexican).
He̢۪s on a waiting list, but he doesn̢۪t have long to wait.

In the meantime, they̢۪re giving him blood transfusions, but he gets in danger of iron build-up if he has too many of those.

He̢۪s also on immune system suppressants and is at risk of infection. He̢۪s currently in ICU after a small infection.

Information about your marrow type can be entered into the National Marrow Donor Registry by cheek swab or blood sample. Even if you̢۪re not a match for Kavon, your information will stay in the registry and some day you may be able to save someone else̢۪s life. The test costs $25.

Thank you so much.

Celeste Pilegard
Sophomore
Psychology