The constant fight for donors and finding matching cell pairs is one Alta Paden deals with on a day-to-day basis.
Only 7% of marrow donors nationally are from African American backgrounds.
"If our patient is a minority we have less of a chance of finding a donor for them".
Running alongside the Be The Match Registry campaign is a major blood drive to keep clinics and hospitals afloat.
"We have to have 400 people on a normal day, just a normal day donate blood to adequately supply the over 50 hospitals that we do supply with blood".
UTC students feel these are two causes they can really contribute to.
"I don't feel anything afterwards and it helps people so why not,"
"You know I have five minutes, I can go, I can sacrifice a pint of blood."
Giving blood takes a matter of seconds and to sign up for the registry is a matter of swabbing the inside of your cheeks and filling out basic paperwork.
Anyone from aged 18 to 44 is eligible for the Registry and your cells may be the ones that can save a life.
www.bloodassurance.org and on Facebook at Bloodanooga
