Ross Medical Education Center Michigan Blood Portage

Portage Joins Be the Match Registry

Ross Medical Education Center Michigan Blood PortageThis fall, the Ross Medical Education Center campus in Portage once again welcomed Michigan Blood to talk about Bone Marrow Donation and the “Be The Match” Registry. This is second annual event of its kind that the Portage campus has hosted. Ryan Heinhuis, a Stem Cell Recruitment Specialist from Michigan Blood, took the time to talk to each of the classes and stress the importance of joining the registry. She also took the time to elaborate on what exactly is required to join. Finally, she covered the life-changing and potentially life-saving outcomes of a bone marrow donation to someone suffering from debilitating and life-threatening diseases like leukemia and sickle cell anemia.

Michigan Blood has joined forces with Be the Match and is part of the National Marrow Donor Program. In addition to hosting blood drives throughout Michigan, they also have specialists that recruit potential marrow donors. According to their website, only about 30% of patients in need of a bone marrow transplant will match with someone in their family. That means that 70% of those in need will rely on the generosity of a complete stranger that has made the decision to join the registry. Therefore, the more people that join, the more likely it will be that those patients will find their match and be given a much better chance of survival.

The staff, faculty, and students loved having Michigan Blood once again share this incredible opportunity to support those in the community and throughout the country. Many students are unsure about the process at the beginning, but their minds are always quickly set at ease when they learn that all it takes is a cheek swab and some basic information! This year the campus had 19 students make the decision to join the registry!

If you are interested in joining the registry, you must be healthy and between the ages of 18 and 44. The process to register is painless and quick. More information can be found at http://www.miblood.org/be-the-match-registry/.

Medical Assistant Program offered at these campus locations:
  • Huntsville
  • Quad Cities
  • Evansville
  • Fort Wayne
  • Granger
  • Kokomo
  • Lafayette
  • Muncie
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  • Erlanger
  • Hopkinsville
  • Owensboro
  • Ann Arbor
  • Battle Creek
  • Brighton
  • Canton (MI)
  • Davison
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Dental Assistant Program offered at these campus locations:
  • Huntsville
  • Evansville
  • Fort Wayne
  • Granger
  • Kokomo
  • Lafayette
  • Muncie
  • Erlanger
  • Owensboro
  • Brighton
  • Canton (MI)
  • Davison
  • Flint
  • Grand Rapids
  • Kalamazoo
  • Kentwood
  • Lansing
  • Warren
  • New Baltimore
  • Muskegon
  • Saginaw
  • Cincinnati
  • Dayton
  • Elyria
  • Niles
  • Johnson City
  • Knoxville
  • Charleston
  • Morgantown
Veterinary Assistant Program offered at these campus locations:
  • Huntsville
  • Erlanger
  • Canton
  • Kalamazoo
  • New Baltimore
  • Warren
Pharmacy Technician Program Certificate online program
Nursing Assistant Program offered at these campus locations:
  • Brighton
  • Grand Rapids
  • Kalamazoo
  • Midland
Medical Insurance Billing and Office Administration Certificate online program
Occupational Therapy Assistant Program offered at these campus locations:
  • Hopkinsville
  • Quad Cities
Nursing Program offered at these campus locations:
  • Canton (OH)
  • Cincinnati
  • Dayton
  • Elyria
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Practical Nursing Program offered at these campus locations:
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  • Cincinnati
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  • Niles
  • Sylvania
Veterinary Technology Program offered at these campus locations:
  • Canton (OH)
Business Management Program offered at these campus locations:
  • Hopkinsville, KY
Medical Assistant Associate of Applied Science Degree online program
Health Care Administration Associate Degree online program
Human, Social, and Health Services Associate of Applied Science Degree online program
Medical Billing Administrative Specialist Associate Degree online program
Medical Office Administration Certificate Program online program
Medical Insurance Billing and Office Administration Certificate online program
Pharmacy Technician Program Certificate online program