DENVER -- April 2, 2009

I overheard Marianne talking to our friend Carol-Ann on the phone recently. Carol-Ann's daughter Stefanie has a working CCI dog named Alette and sometimes we get to play. Marianne ended the conversation with "OK, you can pick up Ross on Wednesday morning!"

"Why is Carol-Ann picking me up? Am I having a play date with Alette?" I asked hopefully.

"Not this time, Rosstafur," Marianne said. "Carol-Ann wants to borrow you for a special project. The University of Colorado Cancer Center where she works is sponsoring a bone marrow drive. Carol-Ann hopes a cute CCI puppy might encourage people to stop at the registry table to sign up."

"Bone marrow, like the marrow bone treats I get sometimes?" I asked, drooling slightly.

"NO!" said Marianne and she wiped off my chin with a tissue. "Ick. Drooling is SO not a good service dog attribute."

"Yeah, whatever," I said impatiently wriggling away from her. "What is a bone marrow drive? And why is the Cancer Center having one?"

"Some humans have blood-related cancers like leukemia or lymphoma, and a bone marrow transplant is one treatment option. For many of those humans, a transplant might be the best and only hope of a cure. They use the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) Registry to find a donor match. This drive is an easy way for people to sign up to be donors."

"How do the donors get chosen? Is it like when CCI matches a human and a dog as a team?" I asked.

"No, not really," Marianne replied. "This type of matching is very scientific and depends on the tissue types of the donor and the patient matching as closely as possible. Tissue types are inherited, so sometimes a patient's family member is a good match. But 70% of the time patients have to rely on the NMDP to find matches. Even though there are millions of people signed up, there's always a need for more donors to ensure every patient finds a match."

"Oh, that sounds tricky, " I said.

Marianne nodded. "Yes, and patients are more likely to match someone from their own race or ethnicity. The NMDP really needs donors from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds to increase the chances that everyone will find a donor match."

I had a sudden flashback to the vet's office and lay down. "Are there needles involved? I really don't like needles. They make me feel kind of woozy."

"Fortunately for Carol-Ann, there won't be any need to revive you from the sight of a needle," Marianne said. "People who register only need to fill out a health survey and have a simple cheek swab, which collects some cells from the inside of the mouth to determine tissue type. If anyone is nervous you can offer to let them pet you."

"Oh, that's my kind of job!" I wagged my tail happily. "But what if a donor gets picked as a match? What happens then?"

"There's additional testing to make sure the donor and the patient are the best possible match. If the doctors agree, then the bone marrow is harvested from the donor." Marianne paused. "Brace yourself Ross, because this part does involve a needle."

I leaned in for a comforting pat. "OK, tell me what happens next."

"The doctor uses a special, hollow needle to withdraw liquid marrow from the back of the donor's pelvic bones. But don't worry! The donor is anesthetized so it doesn't hurt at all," Marianne said.

"Huh," I snorted. "I bet it hurts later when they wake up."

"No, the donor might feel a little soreness for a few days, but most donors are back to their normal routine in a few days. It's really not a big deal, except of course to the patient whose life the donor is saving!"

"Wow, that's pretty cool," I said. "So why did Carol-Ann decide to help with this?"

"Well, a friend of hers named Kathy Franklin has leukemia and was told she needed a bone marrow transplant. Kathy was able to find a match through the NMDP. Thanks to a 24-year-old donor, Kathy received her bone marrow transplant on March 3, 2009. Kathy is twice blessed because she's a breast cancer survivor, and now a leukemia survivor. This bone marrow drive is in her honor."

"She sounds very brave," I said. "I'm glad she's getting well and that she found a match." I had a sudden thought. "Hey, what about cost? Do you have to pay to register?"

Marianne shook her head. "Nope. The cost of donor typing for this drive is being paid by the Cancer Center for up to 100 donors. Isn't that wonderful? I hope they meet their goal."

Well, if I have anything to say about it they will! Please register on Wednesday, April 8 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Anschutz Medical Campus, Building 500 - Atrium, 13001 E. 17th Place, Aurora, CO. I'll give you a big slurpy kiss if you do!

Chow for now! Ross

If you want more information about marrow donation, click here. If you have questions about this event call 303.363.2351.

Questions or comments for Ross? Send him an e-mail!

Would you like more information about Canine Companions for Independence or perhaps be a puppy raiser? Call 1-800-572-BARK or go to CCI for details.