CA SCR115

Designates October 2010 as Bone Marrow Donation Awareness Month in California

Acknowledges the National Marrow Donor Program has facilitated over 40,000 marrow and cord blood transplants since 1987

Identifies the shortage of racially and ethnically diverse donors as a critical problem, with only 26 percent of the 8 million registry donors from diverse backgrounds

Highlights the urgent need to locate matched unrelated donors, as patients can deteriorate, develop complications, or die while waiting

Encourages Californians to participate in bone marrow donation drives, noting the registration process requires only a cheek swab and takes a few minutes