Tens of thousands of people die each year waiting for a bone marrow transplant, according to The Marrow Foundation, a research institute.

The likelihood of survival is low for whites, but it is even lower for minorities.

These numbers motivated Communications sophomore Alicia Thibou to plan a bone marrow drive for black students during Winter Quarter.

Thibou’s other motivation was her friend, 34-year-old Greek Gray, who was diagnosed with acute myelocytic leukemia, a form of cancer that typically results in death without proper treatment.

By her standards, Thibou said her drive was not a success. Thirty-six people joined the bone marrow registry during her February 28 drive.

The numbers are a “drop in the bucket” compared to the number of people needing donations, she said.

Gray is in good spirits, Thibou said, but she still needs help.

Only 5 percent of eligible donors donate blood, and the situation is worse for bone marrow donations, said Patrick Kovar, president and CEO of Community Blood Services of Illinois.

“There are only 8 blood types, but there are literally millions of bone marrow types,” Kovar said. “The more varied (the patient’s) racial background, the more difficult finding a match is going to be.”

Of approximately 8 million registered marrow donors, only about 6 percent are black, Thibou said.

Blood services appeal to “people’s altruism,” Kovar said. “Each of us has an opportunity to save someone else’s life.”

Yet the percentage of marrow donors is lower because the procedure is more intensive. Common misconceptions also seem to deter people from joining the registry.

The procedure for bone marrow extraction is changing, Kovar said. Some procedures require the extraction of marrow from the hip under general anesthesia.

New non-surgical methods hook a donor to a cell separator for four hours. This procedure eliminates soreness.

Prospective donors only need to give a blood sample and sign forms, Thibou said. The blood is then tested to see if there are matches. If a successful match is found, the donor is contacted much later, if at all, to donate marrow.

“I’m not drilling people at the door,” Thibou said, laughing.

Weinberg junior Maya Ragavan said the severity of the procedure is often blown out of proportion.

“It’s such a simple process, and you only have to do it once,” said Ragavan, co-president of Student Blood Services. “I don’t see why you wouldn’t.”

There will be a blood drive May 5 where students can join the registry, Ragavan said. The drive will be in the Louis Room.

Thibou said she hopes her previous advocacy will pay off in future drives.

“I’m all about the eye-opening,” she said.

Reach Erin Dostal at [email protected].