Students host bone marrow registry Thursday

  Wednesday, March 4, 2015 2:00 AM
  News

Pittsburg, KS

Members of Pittsburg State University’s chapter of the Kansas Association of Nursing Students (KANS) will hold a bone marrow registry from noon until 5 p.m. on Thursday, March 5, in the first floor lobby of the Overman Student Center. The event honors Alex Talbott, a PSU alumnus from Webb City, Mo., who is currently battling leukemia.

The students noted that Talbott was highly involved on campus and was a member of both the football and track squads. He participated in a number of honor organizations while completing his bachelor’s and then his master’s degrees in biology. Talbot is now a student in the UMKC School of Dentistry.

Organizers said bone marrow donation can be a life-saving gift for thousands of critically ill blood cancer patients. Registration is simple and requires a small amount of paperwork and the collection of a smear on the inside of the cheek.

KANS adviser Barb McClaskey said the bone marrow registry is just the latest in a long list of community service projects the students have organized in recent months. Those range from providing first aid at the Special Olympics basketball tournament and teaching good hand-washing techniques to elementary school students to teaching sorority members about breast cancer detection and fraternity members about testicular cancer.

In addition to the bone marrow registry in the Overman Student Center on March 5, KANS hopes to hold an additional registry from noon until 2 p.m. on Tuesday, March 10, in the Weede PE Building.

For more information, contact Kate Overman, Jennifer Martin, or Barb McClaskey at 620-235-4443.