INFO-FLASH  INFO-FLASH  INFO-FLASH  INFO-FLASH  INFO-FLASH

CURRENT AND PAST ISSUES OF THE INFO-FLASH NEWSLETTER ARE AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE: www.amic.ca

Þ Þ Þ Þ Þ No2  No2  No2  No2 Ü Ü Ü Ü Ü May 2010

A SPECIAL AMIC NEWSLETTER

This is a special issue of AMIC’s INFO-FLASH dedicated to one and crucial topic for Armenians, that is the absolute necessity, even urgency, of registering to the Armenian Bone Marrow Registry. And to do that is extremely easy, as explained below. INFO-FLASH has in many previous issues announced the drives organized by the Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry (ABMDR), but it seems that we are still very far away from the necessary number of registered donors. Imagine that 1700 registrants will produce only one match. As Armenians have special genes that differ significantly from 73% of the typical donors, it is absolutely imperative to increase the number of Armenian registrants. AMIC learned lately through Dr. Lawrence Najarian, the president of the Tri State Armenian Medical Association (AAHPO) of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, about Charlotte Conybear, Mr. Dean Jerrehian’s daughter.    

"Anoushig"Charlotte

Four-year-old Charlotte was diagnosed with Aplastic Anemia in the Spring of 2009.

One of the treatments for her is a marrow transplant.
Charlotte has not been able to find a matching donor and is still searching.

Time is of the essence

It takes about minutes to sign-up and be tested.
Any healthy individual between the ages of 18-50 can join the registry.

A cheek swab and an application is all that is needed at this first step.

Currently the Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry, jointly with the Northern California Armenian Community organized two recruitment drives on Easter Sunday after Mass. But this was not sufficient.

PLEASE VISIT THE ABMDR WEBSITE (http://www.abmdr.am/) TO SEE WHEN AND WHERE THE NEXT DRIVES WILL TAKE PLACE.

Charlotte is currently receiving transfusions and may need a bone marrow transplant. There are no matches for Charlotte among her family, on the National Bone Marrow Registry or on the Armenian Bone Marrow Registry.

So people of Armenian descent (ages 18-50) are urgently needed to join the National Bone Marrow Registry (or the Armenian Bone Marrow Registry) and become the Match. You might also be of help to another person of Armenian descent, Irene Katrandjian, who also needs to find a match.

1463 individuals will receive this INFO-FLASH that is the totality of Armenian health care professionals on our online database. If all of you ask for a kit from the AAHPO website (http://www.abmdr.am/) and follow the instructions in the kit to collect a sample of cheek cells, you MIGHT BE SAVING CHARLOTTE’s or IRENE KATRANDJIAN’s lives. If you are not in the age group required (18-50 years old), you can involve your grown-up children, your colleagues, your Armenian neighbours, your friends and your relatives, etc. There is no cost and no discomfort or inconvenience involved.

PLEASE DO NOT FORGET THIS APPEAL WHEN YOU READ IT AND ACT IMMEDIATELY. ALL WE WANT TO DO IS TO REAWAKEN THE HUMANITARIAN SPIRIT IN EACH OF YOU.

You may also contact your local church or local Armenian charitable associations to push them to organize with ABMDR administration (to do so, please contact ABMDR’s President, Dr. Frieda Jordan, Phone number 323-663-3609. Email: abmdrla@abmdr.am or Frieda.Jordan@abmdr.am ) recruitment drives in your community.  

Armenian Medical International Committee (AMIC)                                                                                                        2340 Chemin Lucerne, Suite 30                                                                                                                                          Ville Mont-Royal, Qc., Canada                                                                                                                                            H3R 2J8                                                                                                                                                                                    Ph: 514- 739-8950                                                                                                                                                                Email: amic@amic.ca                                                                                                                                                        Skype: amic112