Lexington Medical Center is hosting its first bone marrow and stem cell drive. You can save the life of someone with blood cancer by signing up to become a bone marrow or stem cell donor.

Dr. Steven Hayes

Lexington Medical Center's drive is in honor of Dr. Steven Hayes, an Emergency department physician who recently had a bone marrow transplant to treat multiple myeloma.

Multiple myeloma is a cancer that forms in a type of white blood cell called a plasma cell. Plasma cells help you fight infections by making antibodies that recognize and attack germs.

Multiple myeloma causes cancer cells to accumulate in the bone marrow, where they crowd out healthy blood cells. Rather than produce helpful antibodies, the cancer cells produce abnormal proteins that can cause complications.

In this video, Dr. Todd Crump, assistant medical director of our Emergency department, explains why becoming a donor is so important.

Signing up for the registry is easy and takes less than five minutes from your phone.

~Text CURE24 to 61474 to create an account. ~Click on the link you receive immediately via email to complete the registration process. ~Once you get a kit in the mail, just swab the inside of your cheek and return the sample in the postage-paid envelope provided. ~Stay committed and say YES when you get the call to save a life. It's that easy!

Donors must be between the ages of 18 and 44. If you're older than 44, you can help by spreading the word to ofhers who are eligible.