Ara seeks 2,000 bone marrow donors to combat blood cancer

Ara, a volunteer initiative to combat blood cancers and sickle cell anaemia in Africa, has launched an advocacy programme in Nigeria to recruit 2,000 bone marrow donors to combat blood disorders.

The drive, which is in collaboration with the Bone Marrow Registry in Nigeria (BMRN), will take place on December 2015 at the NBA building in Victoria Island, Lagos.

Ronke Babalakin (pictured), a member of Ara’s founding team, said the team wants young people to participate in saving those living with blood cancer and sickle cell.

“Here at Ara, we really want young people interested and invested in this issue. Not everyone in the Ara community will be a bone marrow donor,” she said.

“Instead we want the people to be open to learn more about blood cancer related diseases and how we can fight them effectively.

“Ara’s initial goal is to recruit 30,000 bone marrow donors on the African bone marrow registries by December 2018. Ara is offering everyone the opportunity to come, eat, and connect with people and learn how to save lives. It doesn’t get any better than that!”

Stalls where potential donors can learn the bone marrow donation process from trained Ara volunteers would be available at the event.

Food, drinks, giveaway T-shirts and pins would be available at the advocacy programme.

Ara is a grassroots volunteer initiative to combat blood cancers and sickle cell anaemia in Africa by recruiting bone marrow donors and promoting cancer awareness.

The initiative is hinged on the goal to recruit 30,000 bone marrow donors on the African bone marrow registries by December 2018.

BMRN is a not-for-profit organization based at the college of medicine, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu.