JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. –
Each year, more than 12,000 people are diagnosed with leukemia, lymphoma, severe aplastic anemia or other blood-based diseases, where often the best or only treatment option available is a bone marrow transplant.
To help patients afflicted by these diseases, U.S. Army Spc. Ashley Saahir, 688th Rapid Port Opening Element, 597th Transportation Brigade information technology specialist, made it her mission to recruit volunteers for the Department of Defense's C.W. Bill Young Bone Marrow Program at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia.
"I've always tried to help others," Saahir said. "I've recruited for blood drives, collected and distributed clothing to families in need, and this just seemed like the right thing to do."
Named after the legislator who wrote the program into law, the DoD's C.W. Bill Young Bone Marrow Program, also known as the DoD Marrow Donner Program and Salute to Life, was established in 1991 and works exclusively with Active Duty personnel and their dependents, DoD civilian employees, Reservists and National Guard members to match potential donors to thousands of patients with life-threatening diseases waiting for bone marrow transplants.
While family members are typically looked to first for an appropriate match, more than 70 percent of patients are unable to find a suitable donation within their own family and require an unrelated stem cell donor. That's where the National Marrow Donor Registry comes into play.
"Registration for the program is quick and easy," Saahir explained. "There is a five-minute history questionnaire that must be completed by potential donors, then a simple cheek swab to collect DNA from the mouth, and that's it."
Once collected, the DNA samples are mailed to a laboratory in Rockville, Maryland, where they are tested and the results recorded into a registry.
"I think it is a great mission she was chosen to take on," said U.S. Army Capt. Michael McCrary, 688th RPOE executive officer. "She approached [leadership], asking if she could take the lead in the initiative and we wholeheartedly agreed; it is a great example of Soldiers looking out for fellow [Service members]."
So far Saahir has signed up 24 Soldiers in her current unit and said she is looking for more within the JBLE community.
"I would like to do this on a bigger scale," said Saahir. "It would be great to manage this program at the post or installation level."
Saahir said that in the end, she truly wants to help her brothers and sisters in arms across the globe.
"I've had people ask me what I get out of this, and why I do it," Saahir said. "This isn't about personal benefit, it's about paying it forward to those inside and outside our military community."
For more information or to register, visit
https://www.salutetolife.org/joinus.html.