A blood drive and bone marrow registry event Wednesday on campus will honor Dave Dresslar, executive director of UIndy’s Center of Excellence in Leadership of Learning [1], whose battle with leukemia has been aided by a marrow transplant.
[2]The CELL staff, Campus Program Board, Department of Athletics and other campus groups have joined forces to organize the “Live to Give” event, which runs from noon to 5 p.m. Wednesday in Schwitzer Student Center’s UIndy Hall A.
Participants may donate blood to the Indiana Blood Center, agree to become a marrow donor through the national Be The Match Registry®, or contribute financially to the registry effort. The UIndy initiative already has collected more than $3,500 for Be The Match [3], which recruits donors, supports patients, educates doctors and funds research. Simply testing and storing samples for a new marrow donor costs about $100. (Potential marrow donors must be 18-44 years old to join the registry at this event.)
To make an appointment to donate blood Wednesday, click here [4].
To learn more or make a financial contribution to Be The Match, click here [5].
Dresslar told his personal story in a testimonial written for the donation drive.
“I am alive today only because of the generosity of my donor, and my appreciation for him is as sincere as if I knew him well,” he wrote. “What makes this most remarkable is the fact that he did it for a total stranger without any expectation that he would ever be recognized for such a selfless act of humanity.”