At the onset, one-month-old Bruno Lara had a fever that was hard to control. After two months, he was diagnosed with Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), a rare immunodeficiency. Bruno’s hope for a cure lies in finding a blood stem cell donor.
To help Bruno and other Hispanic patients searching for a genetic match, Be The Match, the nonprofit organization focused on saving lives through marrow and cord blood transplantation, launched a new campaign, My People. My Family. Mi Sangre., at Hispanicize Miami this week.
The campaign will focus on sharing patient and donor stories and partner with Hispanic community organizations nationally and in key target markets, Miami, Dallas, and Phoenix.
“Hispanic communities demonstrate incredible dedication to family, hard work and service, helping shape our national character,” said Amy Alegi, vice president, marketing, and communications, Be The Match.
“With such a strong commitment, we hope that young, healthy Hispanic people will consider signing up as potential blood stem cell donors. It’s a unique opportunity to be a cure for a patient in need – someone you may not know, but who could easily be a member of your family, a friend, a neighbor or a coworker.”
In addition to finding their son a life-saving genetic match, Bruno’s family hopes to educate fellow Hispanic people about the importance of joining the registry to improve the odds for the entire community.
“Our genetic ancestry helps make us who we are. Patients seeking a blood stem cell donor often find their match in someone who shares their ancestry and heritage. It’s a very special connection,” said Malena Laughlin, Community Engagement Representative, The Icla da Silva Foundation.
“For the Hispanic community, the impact of registering to be a potential blood stem cell donor is simple: the more donors who sign up, the more Hispanic lives we have a chance to save.”
Joining the registry is a quick and easy process. To learn more, visit YouCouldBeTheCure.org/MiSangre.
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