By registering for Be The Match, a bone marrow donor program could local residents potentially save the life of a stranger

By registering for Be The Match, a bone marrow donor program, not only could local residents potentially save the life of a stranger, but they may find they are able to save the life of a Cranbury mother.Dawn Maisano, of Ryan Road, a longtime Cranbury resident, mother of 13-year-old twin boys, a township employee and committed community member, has been diagnosed with a bone marrow defect that requires a marrow transplant in order to ensure she will live on to raise her family.Through Be The Match, formerly known as the National Marrow Donor Program, Friends at the Cranbury Methodist Church and other Cranbury residents are helping Ms. Maisano find a match to her bone marrow so she can get a transplant.Toms Shoes, 35% off cheap Toms, Toms Shoes sale online Every day, thousands of children and adults are diagnosed with leukemia or other life-threatening diseases that require a bone marrow transplant as a cure. About 70 percent of such patients do not have a donor in their family, reads a flier for Be The Match circulating through Cranbury. These patients depend on the Be The Match Registry to find a lifesaving donor.”We all have the power to heal, the power to help. Take the first step. Join the registry,” reads the flier.Nine years ago, Ms. Maisano, with the support of her husband, Frank Maisano, began receiving treatments for a bone marrow disorder that has resulted in myelofibrosis, a scarring of the bone marrow. The scarring is preventing her marrow from functioning properly, and an urgent transplant is needed.Those interested in supporting Ms. Maisano can visit the Cranbury Methodist Church, 21 N. Main St., 35% off Toms Shoes for cheap online on Jan. 21 between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. to become part of the Be The Match registry. At the registry, participants will fill out registration paperwork and have a swab placed in their mouth. Their information then is catalogued in the National Marrow Registry to see if they are a match for Ms. Maisano or another person in need.All personal information is kept confidential, and the participants are contacted only if they are a match for a person in need of a transplant. At any time, they can remove their name from the registry and they are always in control of whether they would like to donate.