Newspapers / The Carolina Indian Voice … / April 29, 1993, edition 1 / Page 1
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If ' I 1 l 1 i 4 H ^ _ M A < A 4l ? 11 [ p $ 1 I B id *** v Br ?? ? ? ? ,.,< M ?j^B m ' ? ^P*W X ^.^V V *? O i * sfNar If ^B r *B m f 1 B W^ M M B I H ^ B^ A v>.-?- . v I r ^ t? ;: oi ?> ? ? ? ? ? %_ a ^B. ^ -* I : X ? w B B?Bmb Ji - t ^*^PP ? n 4.- / ? B* ^V f I I I ft/IP a # -m 'Mks- . - 1/ ? y ^b *-?? IK' steve ^ First Lumbee Bone i Marrow Donor, Calls It Answered Prayer Steve Cummings of Pembroke will become the first Lumbee Indian to be a Boae Murow Dooor sometime during the month of May 'Because of the confidentiality of the American Red Cram," Mr. Cummings stated." 1 am unable to tell you anything other than that it will be some tune in May. I know that the recipient is a 28 year old male. That is all 1 know about him personally. " Receiving personal information about the person in need is not important to Steve Cummings What is important to him is the opportunity to help someone else "It is exciting to be a donor. "Cummings said. "To have an opportunity to save another human life is an answer to prayer. 1 believe it is God's will. And 1 am expectinga full match." The only uncertainty seems to be if the patient can live long enough tc tech. the tran^pi ,ut. The patient has acute leukemia and is in critical condition. These medical facts do not cause Cununings' ; faith to waiver. "There is no question in my mind about ; dtia.1 have prayed for God to give me the opportunity to be a donor....! wish 1 didn't have to donate....! wirii there was no one who neededa transplant....But that is wishful thinking. There are many people out there who are in need of a bone marrow transplant. And I consider it a privilege to be able to donate. .. 1 cant describe the feeling that you have when you realize that you are the one who can save this person," Cummings continued. The much between Cummings and the patient is con sidered a perfect natch. It is the same as being a twin, Cummings explained. All the tests that are required to become a donor have been perfect matches. There are three major tests required to become a donor. The first is a simple procedure, the HLA tissue typing. It requires the drawing of two tablespoons of blood. The second test is the DR typing and the third is MLC typing where the donor's Mood and the patient's blood is mixed to see if the Mood matches. The unique tissue characteristics of an individual's bone marrow are inherited in the same way one inherits riiia, eye and hair color. This means that when no matching aster or brother is available, the beat chanceof finding a matched marrow donor is with someone from the same racial background. Cummings explained the procedure for donating bone marrow. "Donating bone marrow does not mean that you donate bone. It means that you donate marrow, this is very similar in appearance to blood." Cummings will go to Nortii Carolina Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem to donate the marrow. He will he there the first day for interviews and farther tests. He will donate the next morning and, if everything goes well, he will return to his motel room for the night late the same afternoon. "It involves approxinmiety three days in time. Bnt the satis ? - - faction of saving a live is more important than time Bone marrow will live (or twelve hours outside the body, so tke transplant will place immediately following the donation. The procedure does require anesthesia and some discomfort because the marrow is drawn from the hip with ? needle, fee Urge pelvic boat. The procedure takes anywhere from 45 minutes to one and half hows Cunnings said that he decided to become a donor he said, "my father has donated Mood. He taught me respect for life and to do anything 1 cottid to help others I have been donating Mood since I was 18 years old. Later 1 began to donate phoreses (platelets), the ingredi ent in the Mood that causes it to coagulate. 1 was asked if I wanted to be placed on the registry tor possible bone marrow donation, and 1 said yes." That was in 1990 and oe February 23 the nutiai match ing began From that testing. Cumnuags was placed in the international registry and the rest will soon be history. Cummings would like to see many other Indian people became donors. He encourages other Indians to go for the initial testing "There are certain gene factors preva lent among Indians that makes the need for Indian donors greater. There is a great need to get more Indians in the registry" Bone marrow replenishes itself within two weeks. And there is some pain involved m donating, but Cummings believes that discomfort is a small price to pay to save another life ^OTmtn^id|UMMhe uppyumty ^ great need of others, especially people who are strug gling for lift This experience has opened my eyes tot lot of things We need more Christians with a perspective on life., a perspective to extend life and give of our selves to others." "1 believe that the reason the number of Native Ameri cans who ate on the registry for manow donations is the fear of the pain that may be involved mid a lack of knowledge. These two things prevent people from tissue typing. 1 hope that 1 can be used by God to help dispel some of this fear and lack of knowledge of what being a donor really means It means that this person (in nsed of a transplant to live) really needs you. We need soma faithful commitments from Christians and act just fal low concern" Cumimngs is now considering the importance of being an organ donor. "I look at this opportunity asamoacle for life and an answer to prayer. I am humbled by the opportunity and sobcit your prayers for the patient." While Cummings admits he is curious about the patient, he said: "I am placing all my frith in God. 1 would rather know that he was saved than to know Ms name. The greatest reward for me would be to know that he is saved." Cummings will have the opportunity a year after the transplant to meet the patient. Cummings is not only the first Lumbee to become a donor, but alio the first employee with the Srate of North Carolina. He is employed with the Department of Cor rections ss a Corrections Officers at Wagram. He hopes also that other state employees will become donors. He is the son of Fred end Voncille Cummings of Pembroke and is married to the former Derleae Tyler. He is the fetter of two chOdren, Holly and Tyler. The National Manopr Donor Program, a network of transplant dooor centers and collection centers, maintain a computenxed data bank available tiseue typed dooori nation wide. Persons interested in the program may contact the NMDP at 1-800-654-1247 or the Share Life Program(H 3. Bullaid, spokesperson) at 738 ?<?<:?? aim? en; NnI Weed*, Caaatj CnmMmt; Miltea Haat, Miyw af PMbrtkt; T*y McGirt, Stare Maaaper; (Back) Jaaes Lyaa Caayara, Saperviaar. They are Aawa at the OpeaHaaaeafiheaew Pizza Hat la Peat brake Wedaeaday April 21,1993. (Phataa by Jaha R. Braytoay). F (" ' 1 ~ - v # * . " ? , .T* ; IRMr i^T* r" ^ ^f^'*- ^,^'*'1 ;f^ i '^< ' '/'/ ^<9??"W '-^ '* J&j Nominations Being Accented for LRDA Service Awards for their service awards through May 14. The Henry Berry Lowrie Award will be pmeaaiad to an Mtvtdiml who haa provided outstanding toad enhtp and worked toward ftnbanar meat of the Imnbsa rniaiwimiij Candidates mart be Lantbee Indian and may wide outside the eervioe Criteria for this award: a person who worked diligently agaiartracial (ban heritage and culture; an advo cate for Lwnbee people andesadouu I* A/\JUAKI' A A A m ni?ciocwy;Mrvofliit|MMMginfre showing the real meeoing of i?^iy?ui??^iiy| symbol irrf bees and is a hero to ail Lambent. The Distinguished Service Award will be presented to an individual who has provided outaondmg lead ership and worked toward the better ment of the Ltunbee community Candidates must be Lumbee Indian and may reside outside the service Criawa fa thwawMit ^ equality for Indian people; created an awareness of Indian iaewm end concerns; efforts snd accomplish menu have touched the livesof many Indian people; contributed efforts creating a more unified Indian com munity. Business Parson of the Year Award will be awarded to a business person who helped improve the economic atmosphere of the Lumbee commu nity Criteria for due award: created The Advancement of Education Award will bo presented to an indi vidual who tut provided outstand ing leadership and helped improve upport unities for Indian students Criteria forthuawaad work in edu cation has impacted dm Hvet of many people, and advocate for Indian adu cattoo. unproved the (polity of edu cation for people, demon strated that education it the drive that enable ooe to aaoenata the ma*i mum benefits of Indian aspirations, amieted schools in developing pro grams which enhances the education of Indian people. Indian Student of the Year Award will be presented to student who have portrayed a positive role model for other Indian youths. Una award will be presented in three categories Criteria includes: danionatratedua attvtty and leadership ut promoting understanding and appreciation of the heritage of Lumber people tn an rdiK mortal setting, participated ac tively in student activities in a lead ership role, participated ineducaiion and /or community activities which presented s positive role model for other Lumbee studenuand promoted an appreciation for American Indian culture by the general student body, demonstrated a strong educational sdlool 9^909^^^^ fl&COflkdl* ary school and h 21 yean of age or jssztss?cjr moot to the advancement of Lumbee people Criteria for this award pco tk? of Lumbee heritage in an educa iioatt1 community setting. demon strated a life long oomlutment and comrtbtmoas to the advancement of Lumbee people uk) the community, served as a noettive role model, con tributed significantly to the Indian ?octal, civic, educational, tellglom or political activMaa; meat be to veara of ana or oMa. Hamilton McMittien Award will be preaemed to a non- Indian who haamnde conmbuttonsthat will have a lung laaheg tmpnet on the Itvmof the' umhaa people rice t kmc toward Lambee people. worked toward lifting Lumbeea out or poverty. Bttptd to ennance m imtknundinitorLumbee culture and toward Lumbee people; contribtr nona made by the nominee will have a loag-laetmg impact on the lives of Lumbee people. Nomination forma are available at the offices of LRDA and farther in formation on these awards may ha obtained by calling Wanda Lock tear I #521-8602 Report From N.C. House District 85 Since my lam repent an the activities in the North Carolina Legislature affecting District 83,1 have been qutte busy As more and mote bills leave committees and arrive on the floor for debate, our daily legislative ses sions are getting longer andloager. I filed several bills including an agency bill tommove the word "stale" from the North Carolina State Indian Housing Authority. That bill has passed the House and is now in the Senate. In addition, I filed a bill at the request of the Robeson County Commissioners that would repeal an old out dated Robeson Revolving Fund statute dating torn 1945. This bill is also now before the Senate As the chairman ofa Judiciary II Subcommittee, much work has gone into revising the juvenile law to protect children more effec tively from abuse, neglect and dependency. Our woken this bill will be reported to the foil Judiciary Committee sometime within the next two weeks. The deadline for local bills, thoae affecting 15 counties or less, and public bills not affecting finance or appro priations has passed. This means more bills will be coming out of committee and fewer bills will be filed. This translates mio more and longer House sessions. It was refreshing to attend the Robeson County and Hoke County Democratic Party Conventions on Saturday, April 17th. Both were informative mid enlightening. H is always rewarding to see die democratic process in action. ?fNC-74 As the schedule is now. the first work is to be done on NC-74 between 1-93 and the Columbus County line. The state already owns thsrigfal-of-wiy in thtt sees and work cao begin there modi aoooer than on the 1-95 and Ma* ton la scheduled to begin io 1999. How ever, that may be moved op aoooer. The enact route west of 1-95 hasn't been solidified yet. but most of it is proposed to be south of the present NC-74. ,.r.-x . r '? Now that Robeson County has its own member on the State Board of Transportation, M^or David Greco of Parfcton. we cao expect that he will do aU he can to speed the construction on NC-74. The delegation has hod several groups visiting the legislature horn Robeson. Hofce and Scotland Counties and we mjoy having there. It is through visits such as thane thot we are able to become more informed about the concents of cliiwna and groups in the district. If you or your group piaas to be io foe Raleigh area, do not hesitate to come by and visit with your legislators. Give us a call in advance so thot we may try and schedule time to meet wbh you. Our committee meetings coo sume most of our time. However, we wiH make every effort to arrange to meet with you. Don's forget you can always drop us a hoe. Ronnie Starea Representative ta"Ml I ???. '?'??" ?>. ?": "' .' ".*? - + " ? ? ? % -J'i $SkJ
The Carolina Indian Voice (Pembroke, N.C.)
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April 29, 1993, edition 1
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