A few years ago, I had a discussion with an oncologist at Stanford who explained to me that cancer is truly a chronic illness. She said that after an experience with cancer, whether it was your battle or your best friendÂ’s, it becomes a part of the fabric of who you are — for better or for worse. IÂ’ve yet to meet one person who hasnÂ’t been affected by cancer in some way and IÂ’ve been thinking about that conversation quite a bit lately. IÂ’d like to reflect upon the for better, here goes…
We recently launched an OpenIDEO challenge around blood cancers and how we might compel more people around the world to register for bone marrow donation. For me, it seems simple enough — you can order a kit via BeTheMatch.org, attend a drive, or set up your own initiative. The process is as easy as having your cheek swabbed — that’s right, no blood. Yet, there still aren’t nearly enough donors in the registry — particularly for people of South Asian and African-American descent.
So what can you do to help, right now? Aside from the above, you can log-on to OpenIDEO and upload an inspiration. Be sure to check out Jennifer Aaker and the 100K Cheeks’ video made especially for the challenge. We’re seeking everything from compelling campaigns to donation experiences of any kind — and the broader we go, the more we’ll have to inspire us.
I can’t wait to see what you can come up with — and I can’t thank you enough, in advance, for your contributions for the better.
