Hi Juan,

Once you register and swab, you never need to do it again. You will be in the registry until age 61, so be sure to update your information if you move or if your health changes.

Be The Match doesn't charge anyone to join, but we always appreciate the generosity of the public to help us raise funds so that we can continue to refrain from asking people to pay. For every $100 we raise, we can add a new person to the registry.

There are many drives being scheduled across the country; please go to www.bethematch.org to find a local drive in your area or to join online.

Best wishes and have lots of fun at the "Brown Bones" event tonight!

Nadya Dutchin
National Account Executive, Be The Match

Discussions of payment for anatomical procurement seem doomed to always begin and end as though this was a brand new idea that must necessarily be the solution to increasing the availability of organs and tissues for life saving surgeries. This is tragic since this tactic has a long history that has produced consistent and instructive results, strategies that do increase donation are known, and discussion of ghoulish and unethical behavior in relation to organ donation, fact, myth, or fiction, decreases support for it.

Calling Art Caplin was a step in the right direction, but you need someone professionally involved in actually improving donation and not an ethicist whose chief concern is controversy. Please please please talk to someone from UNOS, or a large successful Organ Procurement Organization (OPO) like in New England and New York. There's an important story here that doesn't get the coverage that's needed to save lives.

Registering is free to all. It costs money to analyze the sample. "While people do not have to pay to join the registry, each kit costs about $100."

amitguptaneedsyou.com

Also, for our NYC-area listeners, friends of Amit Gupta are hosting a free benefit/party for him where you can tested, and they are offering to cover the $100 lab costs to join the registry

Here's more info --- http://bit.ly/p6EKXM

Hi, Leah.

For all listeners, I'm posting this link so everyone interested in applying can learn more about the process.

http://bit.ly/oF7adD

The donor program will ideally cover the costs of joining. However, it does depend on the organization's own funding -- illustrating the need for contributions. The cost hopefully won't be prohibitive, but for those who can afford to, contributions will go a long way in convincing others to join up.

I am a card-carrying member of the "Be The Match" registry operated by the National Marrow Donor Program.

My joining was 100% FREE OF CHARGE.

I don't know what donor agency the person whose message you broadcast was (the guy who said that charging money was a barrier). But I do wonder why you chose to broadcast that, of all messages. I wish you had added your own word or so about free-of-charge participation.

One question I have not been able to answer is, once you swab, do you ever have to swab again?

Regardless of the monetary compensation, it brings to light the need for more organ and tissue donors. I just registered to become one.

it's a problem, simply because it furthers the already existing dynamic which ensures a higher quality of life, and possible longer lives for the rich. A wealthier person would be more likely to afford to pay or "donate" for an organ donation.

To be clear, the offer is for the first person who matches... the donation is up to you. And of course it's void where prohibited.

Amit (and the thousands of others in his shoes) need something that's no more painful than giving blood... but before that, they need everyone to register, so they can know, so you can know. Wouldn't you want to know if you're able to save someone's life?