January 31, 2008

SIU Med School Sponsors Bone Marrow Drive

A bone marrow drive, organized by medical students at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, will be held at 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Saturday, February 23, at the Springfield Boys and Girls Club, 300 South 15th Street in Springfield.  The event is co-sponsored by the Illinois Department of Public Health’s Center for Minority Health Services.

The drive is being held to help with the ongoing need for bone marrow from donors of every ethnic and racial heritage, though there is a critical shortage of minority donors.  Donors between the ages of 18 and 60, who meet health guidelines, are being recruited to join the National Bone Marrow Registry.  The enrollment fee is being waived for minorities so more will consider becoming part of the registry.

Other health care activities provided during the event include free blood pressure screenings and body mass index measurements.

The drive is organized by SIU’s chapter of the Student National Medical Association as part of the School’s Black History Month activities.  Nicole Dunlap, a third-year medical student from Champaign; Antonio Mister, a fourth-year medical student from Argo; and Kanayo Okafor, a third-year medical student from St. Louis, are co-chairs of the drive.  The Student National Medical Association is composed of medical and premedical students focused on the needs of minority students across the nation.  Its mission is to promote awareness of health care issues pertinent to the minority community.

For more information, e-mail siumed@snma.org or call SIU Diversity, Multicultural and Minority Affairs, 217-545-7334, weekdays.

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