Bone marrow drive honors Yale student

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) -- A bone marrow registration drive was held Thursday at Yale in honor of Yale hockey player Mandi Schwartz.

The folks at Yale and Be The Match are seeking marrow donors in honor of Schwartz, whose life was cut short.

"Unfortunately, today we're only able to provide about 6,500 out of the 12,000 people that need a donor match," said Michael Garbin from Be The Match.

Schwartz, a Yale student and hockey player, died of leukemia last April, and those who knew her best are doing her justice with their fourth annual Marrow Donor Registry drive.

"Even though in these efforts her life wasn't saved in the end, she was so aware of the potential these efforts had in helping other people," said Aleca Hughes, a senior at Yale and a hockey player.

The drive, running from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday on the Yale Commons at 168 Grove Street. It's open to the public, but it resonated with fellow Yalees, especially athletes.

"If I can save a life just, you know, to help, I would love to do that," said Adele Jackson-Gibson, a junior at Yale and a soccer player.

In its first three years the drive has added 2500 names to the national donor registry, but takes even greater pride in a much smaller number.

"Knowing that we've already saved six lives is incredible, and we're just hopeful that today we can get a big turnout," Hughes said.

All for Number 17, and who-knows-how-many whose still have tough odds to beat.

"More times than not, all of us, if we are in need of a bone marrow donor, would indeed have to go outside of our family and have a perfect stranger save their life,' Garbin said.

Go to bethematch.org to learn about other upcoming drives. They can can also send you a swab kit right to your house.

More info:  http://www.yalebulldogs.com/mandi/index