Social distancing has changed the way we react with one another. This pandemic certainly has affected how we save lives. But it will not stop us!

Patients are relying on us in their search for a cure.

The Icla da Silva Foundation is a non-profit with a simple mission. We save lives by recruiting stem cell donors. The more donors we add to the national registry, the greater the likelihood of finding a cure for a searching patient.

A stem cell donor is the only cure to life-threatening diseases like leukemia, lymphoma, and sickle cell.

We used to recruit potential donors by visiting universities, schools, and churches across the country. We held ‘recruitment drives’ where we would explain the needs and challenges to a larger audience. We would set up a table in high traffic areas and invite people to include themselves on the registry. We asked them to be a cure for a patient in need of a transplant.

These public drives are no longer happening. And while no one is sure about the future of social distancing for safety, we cannot afford to ‘wait and see’.

Blood cancer and sickle cell will not wait. A patient searching for their life-saving donor cannot wait to see what happens. Their life depends on finding a matching donor.

So we continue our mission. We are using every platform to spread the word and we continue to register more life-savers.

We post more often on social media, sharing patient stories.

We have been engaging student groups in Zoom meetings, sharing information, and presenting the challenge to those who are willing to listen.

As it turns out, people are listening. They are joining the registry. Many are willing to save a life…but it can be painstakingly slow.

Still, we move forward. Patients and their families are counting on us.

Do you have any ideas to help us reach more people? Do you know someone willing to save a life by adding themselves to the Be The Match registry?

Maybe you have a Facebook group where we could share patient stories? Perhaps you have a Zoom meeting that we could join to present a 10-minute life-saving challenge?

Please send me an email, I would love to learn more and I welcome the invites. You can help us save more lives in this socially distant world.

You can reach me via email here: bret@icla.org

Thanks for reading. Together we will save more lives.

join the registry today

Written by: Bret Itskowitch