Fil-Am doctor in need of bone marrow donor in Maine

A Filipino-American doctor diagnosed with blood cancer is looking for bone marrow donors after repeated searches failed to turn out suitable matches for a transplant.

A report on the Chilicothe Gazette said Dr. Tracy Jalbuena's mixed ethnicity made the search difficult, as donors of mixed ethnicity make up fewer than 4 percent of donors on the bone marrow registry, with Filipino-Americans at less than 1 percent.

Moreover, her unique Irish-German-Filipino blood and unknown status of her lone potential donor made her case a lot more urgent.

The website Be The Match, operated by the National Donor Marrow Program, explained that having the same racial or ethnic background makes donor matching easier.

Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) types used in matching are inherited, meaning some racial groups have higher chances of having certain combination than others.

In order for Jalbuena, 43, to receive a transplant, most of her donor's HLA tissue markers must match her own. If the initial cheek swab matches the patient at a basic level, additional cheek swabs and blood tests are carried out.

Jalbuena and her family launched multiple donation drives and Internet campaigns—including a blog—in an effort to spread awareness amongst Filipino-Americans and others who could help her fight multiple myeloma.

Interested donors may have a free test kit mailed to them by Be The Match or contact the Jalbuenas through jalapeno1@roadrunner.com or 772-6723. —Rie Takumi/KBK, GMA News

More from: http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/458786/pinoyabroad/news/fil-am-doctor-in-need-of-bone-marrow-donor-in-maine
 

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