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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 1, 1991)
December, 1991 Smoke Signals "COME LAUGH" Self Esteem Workshop For Youth Saturday Dec. 14, 1991 Chemawa Indian School 3700 Chemawa Road Salem, Oregon The Presentations will begin at 9:00 am The Workshop is being conducted by Mr. Steve Saffron, Professor at Scottsdale Com munity College, in Arizona. Steve incorpo rates humor, laughter, active participation and fun in his class. His classes cover issues and problems faced by Indian yourth in today: society. He mixes humor and Indian influ ences in building positive self esteem for young people. For more information call Education Program at 1-800-422-0232 American Indians Suffer Without Bone Marrow Donors SELF REFERRALS Alcohol or Drug Problems Contact: Confederated Tribes of Grand RondeAlcohol and Drug Program at 1-800-422-0232 CoDependence Contact: Confederated Tribes of Grand RondeAlcohol and Drug Program at 1-800-422-0232 AIDS Testing Contact: Confederated Tribes of Grand RondeTribal Health Clinic at 1-800-422-0232 ext. 201 or Marion County Health Dept. at 588-5342 to make an appointment. Child AbuseDomestic Violence Help Contact: Confederated Tribes of Grand RondeSocial Services program at 1-800-422-0232 ext. 102 By Kara Briggs Spokane, WA - Sam Toulou Wilson's T-shirt tells her story: "I have leukemia, but I'm going to beat it." When diagnosed in February, the 31-year-old mother of two wasn't expected to live a week. Six months ago, chemotherapy and an experimental drug pushed Wilson's cancer into remission, but doctors say a bone marrow transplant may be her only chance for a permanent cure. Unable to find a donor from one of her nine half brothers and sisters, Wilson turned to the Minneapolis based National Bone Marrow Donor Program for help. Wilson, a Cohille Indian, is one of 28 American Indians seeking a compatible donor through the pro gram. The odds of finding one are great. Each American Indian is estimated to have one chance in 20,000 of finding a compatible donor, said program spokeswoman Liz Quam. The odds are lower than they would be if Wilson and the others were white. Through a drive by the Spokane and Inland Empire Blood Bank to register more American Indian donors, Wilson and the other patients' chances are improving, Quam said. In the last year, the blood bank recruited 1,200 Colvr ie and Spokane Indians into the national donor program Those recruits represent 43 percent of all the American Indians who have volunteered for the program, Quant said. "Spokane is absolutely our star for its recruitment of American Indians," Quam said. "For the Spokane blood bank to have this success is a challenge to other donor centers around the country." Laura Oiland, coordinator of the Spokane donot program, said the success comes from informing the Spokane and Colville tribal councils of a need fo American Indian donors. The key to a bone marrow transplant is finding a donor whose marrow is almost a perfect match with the patient. Oiland said bone marrow is as unique as hair or eyes; with hundreds of possible variations. If Wilson finds a match, that person will likely be an American Indian. Some marrow characteristics appear to be most common among specific race or ethnic groups, Oiland said. . Every year, about 16,000 people in the United States need a bone marrow transplant. In that process, doctors kill the patient's marrow and replace it with healthy donor marrow. Since Congress founded the National Bone Marrow Donor Program in 1987, it has helped arrange 870 transplants, Quam said. Only two American Indians, one Asian American, 10 African American and 25 Hispanics had transplants in that time, she said. "I don't think there is enough awareness of the need for donors until leukemia hits someone close to home," Wilson said. The Spokane blood bank staff hopes to recruit people from other minority groups through the universi ties in Eastern Washington later this year, Oiland said. Most bone marrow donors make an emotional com mitment to the program. "You could be the only one who could save this person's life," Quam said. "Most of the donors aren't called, but if you are that person, you are a very special person." Wilson works to register donors in Eastern Washing ton and appears on a national poster with four other American Indians who need bone marrow transplants. In addition to beating cancer, Wilson has another long term plan: to watch her children, J.D., 6, and Brittany, 2, grow up.
