About My Project
Look below to learn about my story and how important it is to become a part of this mission to save lives.
About My Project
Hi, my name is Megan, and my Girl Scout Gold Award project is about raising awareness on the need for bone marrow donors. I started this project because my younger brother was diagnosed with a rare and incurable genetic disease called Dyskeratosis Congenita, an inherited bone marrow failure syndrome. One of the symptoms of this disease is a low platelet count, so he may need a bone marrow transplant in the future. I wanted to help him and many others that are in desperate need of a bone marrow transplant. I have been working with DKMS and have hosted bone marrow registration drives at a Padres game, at local sporting clubs, and virtually online. I have also created a club at my high school so that I can raise awareness and educate other young adults about bone marrow donation.
I am now working on obtaining my Bachelor's degree in Genetics and Genomic sciences and my Master's degree in Biomedical Sciences at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Why is this Important?
Unless you know someone who needs a bone marrow transplant, most people have never heard of bone marrow donation. Additionally, others are misinformed about the bone marrow donation process, and are too afraid to register. I want to quell these fears and educate the world about the importance of bone marrow donors. On average, 7,500 Americans are actively searching for a bone marrow match from a stranger, and many never find a compatible match. This is because there aren't enough people registered as a bone marrow donor. My goal is to encourage others, especially young people and those of minority backgrounds to register, so those in need can find a match. A bone marrow transplant may be their only hope of survival, and you might be that only person that can match.
Be someone's hero #swabright4life