As Nursing Student Representative at Swab the World 成人VR视频 and Equity Commissioner for the Nursing Undergraduate Society (NUS), Melanie Xie found the perfect opportunity to bridge both roles by co-organizing a potluck and Stem Cell Donation Drive for donors under the age of 35. 鈥淎s a person of color, I am acutely aware of the disparities that exist in our healthcare system; for patients from diverse backgrounds, finding a matching donor is often significantly harder,鈥� Melanie explains.
According to the Canadian Blood Services, currently, people of Indigenous, Asian, South Asian, Hispanic, Black, and mixed-race backgrounds make up only about a third of stem cell registrants In Canada. For Melanie, who is a second-year BScN student, bringing this event to the Ingram School of Nursing along with the NUS and Swab the World 成人VR视频, (affiliated with Hema-Quebec) was more than just a clinical initiative. 鈥淚 wanted to advocate for health equity and to show our nursing community that simply by swabbing, we are potentially saving someone鈥檚 life.鈥�
With the enthusiastic support of third-year biochemistry student Emma Neamtu, and first-year medical student Nicolas Demers, the Stem Cell Drive attracted 50 people who came for the potluck and to learn more about the registry. By the end of the day, 20 students had undergone the quick and painless procedure which involves swabbing the inside of the cheek to collect a small sample of cells. If a match is eventually found between the donor and a cancer patient in need of stem cells, the donor will be contacted about next steps.
鈥淪preading awareness is the first step toward creating change and diversifying our Canadian stem cell registry, and it was great to see that engagement firsthand!鈥� says Melanie.
For more information about stem cell donation, visit:
Photo, left to right: Nicholas Demers, Melanie Xie, Emma Neamtu