Altus AFB hosts bone marrow registration drive Published May 8, 2015 By Senior Airman Franklin R. Ramos 97th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs ALTUS AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- The 97th Air Mobility Wing will be hosting a bone marrow registration drive May 11 - 14 for Department of Defense members ages 18 - 60. The drive is intended to register possible donors to aid people of all ages who are in need of bone marrow. "I think it's a really good cause," said U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jeannette Warr, 97th AMW equal opportunity specialist. "There are individuals who are going through medical problems who may not have a family member that matches them, so this is just another way for us to give back to our community and individuals that are out there in need." To register, members must fill out a consent form and provide inner cheek swab samples. "You have to be in general good health, must be active duty, a dependent, DOD civilian employee, National Guard, reserve or U.S. Coast Guard member and provide four swabs from the inside of your cheek," said U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Trisha Benish, 97th Medical Operations Squadron physician assistant. "Our goal here is to get 50-60 percent of each squadron registered." U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jonathan Mathe, 97th AMW chaplain assistant, donated bone marrow in 2004 and encourages all who can to participate. "I really hope people consider the program, it's not too often that people step up and help individuals. Nowadays, a lot of people just like to stay to themselves and take care of their families," said Mathe. "This program, I think, is worthy to really help people in need and, as Airmen, that is what we do, 'Help people.'" Each squadron will have a point of contact for members who are willing to register. Members can also register May 14 at the base exchange and commissary from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. or at the Freedom Community Center from 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. "There's 12,000 people a year who are diagnosed with a disease that need bone marrow or stem cells and out of that, 70 percent of them can't find a match within their family," said Benish. "They have to look for someone who is not related to them and each day 6,000 people are searching this registry for a match, so its super important that we get people registered." For more information about the bone marrow registration drive, contact 1st Lt. Trisha Benish at 580-481-5410.