This year, HOSA introduced a new service opportunity for its members. Headed by president David Gonzalez and VP of service Avery Shaver, the school’s HOSA chapter started a committee to raise awareness and increase registration for the National Marrow Donor Program, previously known as Be the Match. The NMDP, a non-profit that has been working with the larger HOSA program for a number of years now, contributes to peripheral blood stem cell and bone marrow donations for patients in need.
Unlike giving blood, donating bone marrow is a much trickier process because donors have to match the recipient much closer, genetically. Consequently, less than 1% of people on the registry are actually able to donate. The donations go to patients suffering from a number of diseases, from lymphoma to leukemia, and a donation can make the difference between life and death.
“I feel like it’s such an awesome program,” Shaver said. “It saves so many kids’ lives. Through such a simple donation, you’re able to literally change the life of somebody who’s terminally ill, and that’s just incredible.”
On Nov. 24, the NMDP committee held a community service event. They set up a booth at the Kingwood Farmers Market in Town Center and talked to potential donors about the program. Gonzalez had the idea after attending the Washington Leadership Academy as HOSA Texas state president in September, where he went around the National Mall of Washington, D.C. and asked for registrations and fundraising.
“I thought it was a really great opportunity, not only to do a public health service, because you go out and you meet individuals,” said Gonzalez. “And that helps your leadership and communication skills. You’re making a tangible impact in your community.”
The committee plans to continue having service events like the one at Town Center and continue to grow the committee at Kingwood Park and overall registration in Texas. Although Texas has the largest chartered association in all of HOSA, it is also the worst per capita for NMDP registration, according to Gonzalez.
“It’s a mission of mine to to expand registration and fundraising because I see statewide that there is a lot of work to be done and a lot of ways that we can contribute more to our communities,” Gonzalez said. “I do encourage every single person that feels comfortable donating to register and to become informed about it because it makes a huge impact.”
