‘It only took a couple of minutes’: Students swab cheeks to become potential stem cell donors
Several organizations have partnered with Canadian Blood Services to find potential stem cell donors at both Nipissing University and Canadore College.
Booths were set up at both schools on Wednesday where students and members of public aged 17-35 to swab their cheeks to get into the national database for a potential life-saving stem cell donations.
Trinity Tuulos told CTV News it only took about 10 minutes to do the swab and register to be a potential stem cell donor. (Eric Taschner/CTV News Northern Ontario)From registering with Canadian Blood Services to swabbing her cheeks, it only took 10 minutes for student Trinity Tuulos to become a potential stem cell donor.
"It only took a couple of minutes,” she said chuckling.
“It's a really simple, easy task. It doesn't take very long and it could really help someone in need."
Tuulos and several other students registered to be swabbed - including Curtis Drodge.
"Taking one small step can go leaps and bounds to help," he said after swabbing.
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
The swab kit contains four swabs to collect DNA samples from all four corners (both the upper and lower sides) of your mouth. The kits are then sent to a lab to be tested to see if the person swabbing is a match for someone in desperate need of a stem cell transplant.
"Your odds in being selected to be a match are one in 700. So it's relatively low,” said Brandon Peacock, a Canadian Blood Services community development manger for stem cells Brandon Peacock.
“That’s why when more people swab, the better.”
There are several kinds of blood cancer and approximately 80 types of other medical conditions that can be treated with stem cells. Even when a patient finds a match, half of them turn out to be unavailable to donate.
"If you know if you're selected, there's an opportunity you're a life-saver," said Peacock.
Colin Vickers is a blood cancer survivor and knows all too well the importance of these clinics.
Vickers had two kinds of blood cancer which turned into acute myeloid leukemia (AML). This is a type of cancer in which the bone marrow makes a large number of abnormal blood cells. Having received a transplant in October 2021, he's now cancer free.
Colin Vickers received a stem cell transplant in October 2021 while battling acute myeloid leukemia. (Eric Taschner/CTV News Northern Ontario)“I was treated at HSN (Health Sciences North) successfully and qualified for a stem cell transplant which effectively replaces your wonky blood as I call it," he said.
Currently, there are over 900 Canadian patients waiting for a match. A group of Nipissing University nursing students led the charge to organize it in partnership with Canadore and the Rotary Club of Nipissing.
"My grandfather died of Hodgkin's lymphoma. I really joined the stem cell swab event through Colin and he introduced me to his story and it made me want to help,” said Hayden Lloyd, a Nipissing University nursing student.
There were two other clinics; one Wednesday evening from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Canadore Residence and the other Thursday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Canadore Commerce Court Campus, outside of the cafeteria.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
RCMP uncovers plot to sell drones and equipment to Libya
The RCMP says it has uncovered a plot by two men in Montreal to sell Chinese drones and military equipment to Libya illegally.
Demonstrators kicked out of Ontario legislature for disruption after failed keffiyeh vote
A group of demonstrators were kicked out of the legislature after a second NDP motion calling for unanimous consent to reverse a ban on the keffiyeh failed to pass.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
Man wanted in connection with deadly shooting in Toronto tops list of most wanted fugitives in Canada
A 35-year-old man wanted in connection with the murder of Toronto resident 29-year-old Sharmar Powell-Flowers nine months ago has topped the list of the BOLO program’s 25 most wanted fugitives across Canada, police announced Tuesday.
Doctors ask Liberal government to reconsider capital gains tax change
The Canadian Medical Association is asking the federal government to reconsider its proposed changes to capital gains taxation, arguing it will affect doctors' retirement savings.
Keeping these exotic pets is 'cruel' and 'dangerous,' Canadian animal advocates say
Canadian pet owners are finding companionship beyond dogs and cats. Tigers, alligators, scorpions and tarantulas are among some of the exotic pets they are keeping in private homes, which pose risks to public safety and animal welfare, advocates say.
Thieves use stolen forklift to rip cash machine out of U.K. bank
Police in the U.K. are searching for a group of suspects seen on video using a forklift to steal a cash machine from a bank.
'There was a lot of black smoke': Crane operator sounds alarm while trapped during highrise fire in Halifax
A tower crane operator alerted emergency crews after noticing a fire on a construction site in Halifax Tuesday morning.
Cherry blossoms blooming in Canada: Here's what to know
There is a swaying sea of colour in some cities across Canada, and it's a sure sign of spring: cherry blossoms are in bloom.