Be the Match
National Service Project
Every year, HOSA partners with a nonprofit organization. This year, HOSA is teaming up with Be the Match. Our mission is to educate people, grow our registry, and make blood transplants more accessible for everyone. It's our goal to raise as much as we can for Be The Match, and we're asking for your help. Thousands of people are diagnosed every year with life-threatening blood cancers and diseases like leukemia and sickle cell. They depend on Be The Match and our supporters to find a match to save their life.
As the global leader in blood stem cell transplantation, we connect the world’s largest and most diverse registry of donors with patients who are their genetic match. 30% of patients needing a transplant have a match within their family. The other 70% of patients turn to us for help.
Patients are more likely to match with someone of their same ethnicity, which is why it is crucial to grow and diversify the registry. Currently, the chance of having a matched, available donor on the Be the Match Registry ranges from 23 to 77 percent, depending on their ethnic background. African Americans are the least likely to find a suitable match because only 4% of members listed on the Be the Match Registry identify as African American or Black. More people of color are needed to join the registry to help searching patients. Together, we can help more patients find a donor match.
By fundraising and adding more people to the registry, we can increase the odds and make sure every patient has an equal chance at finding their life-saving donor. Thank you for your support! Together we can eliminate health disparities and make a life-saving difference.
How to utilize Be the Match:
Go to Be the Match HOSA
Click "Fundraising" then "Start a Page"
Begin creating your account using your designated team captain's information. Find your chapter's code on their list of chapters and advisors.
Customize your page.
Have your local officers and/or members join your team's fundraiser by creating their own page.
Come up with a fundraising event to generate funds for the registry. Remember, it takes $100 to match a recipient to a donor! Find a way to generate interest in registering or pre-registering people to be a donor. Some ideas include: informational meetings, car washes, family night, spirit night at a local business, etc.
If you are 18 years or older, you are eligible to join the Be the Match Registry. If you are a minor, you can pre-register to join right when you turn 18.
Medical Students Association
Virtual Volunteering
The Medical Students Association is a a youth-led 501(c)(3) non-profit striving to make an impact on the lives of patients in healthcare facilities across the US who suffer from a wide range of disabilities.
In the “Be A Buddy” program, volunteers will be paired with a patient at a long-term care facility and will engage with them by participating in enjoyable activities such as reading books, arts & crafts, watching videos, etc.
In the “Anybuddy Can Dance” program, volunteers will work with 2-4 patients at facilities and create choreo and teach their group a dance based on the musical interests of the patients.
These programs would be completely virtual once a week for 15-30 minutes and we can award volunteer hours since we are a certified nonprofit. This is a great way for your club members to gain valuable patient care interaction that is difficult to find during the COVID-19 pandemic and to connect with patients on a personal level. It will serve as a great introduction to the field of healthcare and thus, likely fulfill one of your club’s main missions.