The Bone Marrow Drive is an original, recurring charitable and educational initiative organized by the community of Zespół Szkół Ogólnokształcących i Zawodowych im. mjra Henryka Sucharskiego in Bolesławiec. It is carried out by a group of teachers and students in cooperation with foundations involved in recruiting stem-cell and bone marrow donors.

During the Bone Marrow Drive, potential bone marrow donors can register, a blood donation drive is held, and meetings and presentations on transplantation, as well as accompanying events, take place.

This year's edition of the event will take place on April 20–21. The program is provided below:

  • Friday, April 20
    • 10:00 – official opening of the Bone Marrow Drive, ZSOiZ sports hall
    • 11:00–14:00 – registration of potential bone marrow donors, ZSOiZ sports hall
    • 15:00–19:00 – registration of potential bone marrow donors, City Center gallery
    • café
  • Saturday, April 21
    • 5th Bone Marrow Run
      9:00–10:30 – registration, athletics Orlik at ZSOiZ
      11:00 – start, athletics Orlik at ZSOiZ
    • 10:00–14:00 – registration of potential bone marrow donors, ZSOiZ sports hall
    • 10:00–16:00 – registration of potential bone marrow donors, City Center gallery
    • 12:30 – basketball tournament, ZSOiZ sports hall
    • café.

Photos from last year's edition of the event:

View photo: Szpikolada 2017 View photo: Szpikolada 2017 View photo: Szpikolada 2017

A bone marrow donor may be a person who is:

  • between 18 and 50 years old
  • responsible and aware that they may be asked to donate bone marrow even several dozen years after registration
  • healthy, who has not had cancer, hematological or immunological diseases, and is not a carrier of HIV, HBS or HCV (hepatitis B or C)
  • meeting requirements similar to those for blood donors.

During registration, you must have an identity document containing your PESEL number with you.

A person is permanently disqualified from donating bone marrow by:

  • HIV infection (or belonging to a group at increased risk of infection with the virus)
  • the presence of HBs antigen or anti-HCV antibodies with HCV RNA present (the presence of anti-HBc antibodies and a past type A viral infection are acceptable)
  • active tuberculosis within the past 5 years
  • diabetes – if it requires antidiabetic medication
  • active asthma requiring medication (if the candidate has not had an asthma attack in the past 5 years and does not take medication, they may qualify).

In Poland, someone is diagnosed every hour with blood cancer, or leukemia. For many patients, a transplant from an unrelated donor is their only chance of survival. You too can save someone's life by registering as a potential bone marrow donor. It takes only a moment and involves a preliminary medical interview, completing a form with personal details, and taking a swab from the inside of the cheek or drawing 4 ml of blood.

Zbigniew Herbut from PCK on the myth surrounding bone marrow transplantation: