The University of Connecticut Interfraternity Council will hold events supporting the organization Be The Match on Thursday, Oct. 21 and Sunday, Oct. 24 from 2 — 6 p.m. on Fairfield Way, according to Adith Velavan, vice president of scholarship and philanthropy for the Interfraternity Council.
Be The Match facilitates bone marrow and cord blood transplant treatments for blood cancer patients, according to its website. It helps patients find donors by maintaining registries of available cord blood and of individuals willing to donate bone marrow.
The event will inform students about Be The Match and also give them an opportunity to sign up as a donor, Velavan said in an email.
“On the days of the event there will be a tent on Fairfield Way where a representative from Be The Match will be present in order to perform a short cheek swab and registration as well as to provide promotional material and information on the organization,” Velavan said.
According to Velavan, college students are an important part of building the Be The Match registry.
“They have maintained a strong presence on college campuses because young students are some of the most motivated in donating to help save a life,” Velavan said.
Also, younger people are ideal bone marrow donors, according to the Be The Match website.
“At donor registry drives, we focus on recruiting new registry members ages 18 to 35. This is based on medical research that shows younger donors are best for patients and provide the greatest chance for transplant success,” the website reads.
Velavan said that the Interfraternity Council was interested in helping Be The Match expand the diversity of its registry.
“Furthermore, over the last few years, Be The Match has attempted to diversify its registry,” Velavan said. “In IFC’s efforts to improve our own diversity and inclusion, it seemed particularly apt to aid another organization in diversifying their registry, especially when it could save a life.”
