Trish Kostiuk, 3rd-semester philosophy major, gives blood yesterday afternoon.

Blood, Bone Marrow Drive To Run Through Friday In Wilbur Cross

By: Caitlin Emma

Posted: 4/9/08

There will be a blood drive hosted by the Red Cross and a bone marrow drive hosted by the organization Save Giovanni's Friends in the North Reading Room of Wilbur Cross this week from today until Friday, starting at 11 a.m. and lasting until 4:30 p.m. each day.

Students are encouraged to donate blood or register as a bone marrow donor.

"One donation can save up to three lives," said Lisa Byrd, a 2nd-semester student and blood drive volunteer.

UConn has already witnessed the power a bone marrow donor holds. Liz Harsley, a 4th- semester student and member of the crew team recently donated bone marrow after being inspired by Carlee Wines to register as a donor.

"It takes no time at all, but what it accomplishes in the end is completely worth it," said Ralph Riello, a 2nd-semester student and Chief Literary Officer for Alpha Delta Phi, whose members were working as volunteers on Tuesday.

Not only will students be able to donate blood, but they will also be able to register to donate bone marrow through the Save Giovanni's Friends Bone Marrow Drive. A potential donor must be in good health and between the ages of 18 and 55. Registration is free and involves no blood or pain - just a cotton swab of the cheek and some paper work.

Giovanni Guglielmo, the namesake of the bone marrow organization, was born on July 24, 2006. Shortly after his birth, Giovanni began to experience health complications, and after much testing and debate, was diagnosed with NEMO, a rare x-linked chromosomal disorder that attacks the immune system. Currently, 60 children in the world suffer from NEMO, including Giovanni.

Since Giovanni required a bone marrow transplant, his family established the organization in order to find a donor match. After spending over six months at Boston Children's Hospital, Giovanni received a cord blood donation that helped save his life, and has been doing very well one year after surgery - a milestone for transplant patients.

After Giovanni's life was saved, his family took the initiative to create a registry of bone marrow donors for future patients. The Red Cross, DKMS Americas (a marrow donor organization) and Giovanni's family teamed up to form Save Giovanni's Friends.

"We felt it would be socially irresponsible to walk away from it when thousands of people are looking for a bone marrow transplant every day," said Michael Guglielmo, Giovanni's father and the Executive Director of New England for DKMS Americas.

"It makes you speechless to know that people are living because of your efforts and the efforts of everyone who has joined you to save lives," Guglielmo said. "It's so easy to do that it's a travesty that people are dying because there aren't enough people in the bone marrow registry."

"I find it absolutely amazing that we are getting results," said Krystle Rollins, Giovanni's cousin and a member of Save Giovanni's Friends. So many times a bone marrow drive will start for only one purpose and stop. With our cause, we thought, we already have the name out there, why not sign up more people? It's what it's all about."

Save Giovanni's Friends has successfully become the largest patient-driven bone marrow drive in history, saving nine lives and logging roughly 13,000 donor registrations.

For more information on how to register as a donor or donate to Save Giovanni's Friends, please visit www.savegiovanni.org.

Contact Caitlin Emma at

Caitlin.Emma@UConn.edu.