The Rice University Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and Methodist Hospital Blood Center are sponsoring  the third annual "Pitches for Pints" Blood Drive on Friday between 3-7 p.m.  in Fox Gymnasium which is adjacent to Tudor Fieldhouse, near the entrance to Reckling Park.   Participatnts will also have the opportunity to register for the bone marrow "Bet a Match" program, even if you are not able to donate blood on Friday. 

 What is "Be a Match"?  Former Owls pitcher, Stephen Bess '99 explains:

If you had the opportunity to save the life of a lymphoma or leukemia patient with virtually no risk to your personal health, could you say no?

Did you know you could register to become a bone marrow donor with a simple mouth swab, and that a life saving blood stem cell donation requires no surgery?

 These are questions I ask when discussing the often misunderstood "Be The Match" global bone marrow registry with friends. My name is Stephen Bess, Rice class of '99.  I'm a proud Sid Rich college grad, and a member of the Rice baseball team from '96-'99.  Because of my involvement in sports my entire life, I was fortunate to be healthy well into my mid-30's.

This past November, I was diagnosed with A.L.L. leukemia, a blood cancer of the white blood cells. My diagnosis came as a big surprise, and it has certainly changed my perspective on life. My hope for a cure and complete remission relies upon a bone marrow transplant from a volunteer blood donor hero just like you.

I'm fortunate to receive excellent care at City of Hope in Los Angeles, a national leader in bone marrow transplants.  I'm writing to encourage all of my fellow Rice grads, plus your family and friends, to consider becoming bone marrow donors.  The process is easy and 100% voluntary from beginning to end, and again, the stem cell transplant requires no surgery on your part. 

Registration begins with a simple DNA mouth swab, and if your genetic makeup matches with a blood cancer patient in need, your stem cell donation could save a life.  I encourage you to research the donor match process at www.marrow.org to see if it's right for you. 

If you decide to register, you can start the process at this Friday's Rice vs Harvard baseball game at Reckling Park. For thousands of blood cancer patients out there, our only hope for a life saving cure is to match with a volunteer bone marrow stem cell donation.

Please consider registering with Be The Match to save a life, and Go Owls!

Stephen Bess

Rice class of '99

"Pitches for Pints" Blood Drive/Bone Marrow Donation Registry FAQ

What should I expect?   The process should take about 20 minutes start to finish and is pain free. Donors will receive juice or a cookie and a t-shirt afterward.

What if I can't give blood?   Don't worry! "Be the Match" Tissue typing for bone marrow registry will also be located in Fox Gym. Stop by to add your name to the registry-it only takes a minute!

Other Questions?   For FAQs and Donor Eligibility visit the Methodist website http://www.methodisthealth.com/basic.cfm?id=35889, call the Methodist Blood Donor Center at 713.441.1788 or email Halsey Fowler at hgf1@rice.edu.