Riverview High School students join stem cell program
Riverview High School almost doubled the number of expected participants Tuesday in an initiative to gather cell samples and help build a database of healthy stem cell donors for future use.
The school is one of six in New Brunswick involved the Canada Blood Services effort to collect more than 400 cell samples from schools.
"Doing this today is really an eye-opening opportunity so, I'll probably be doing this in the future if I become a nurse so yeah, it's a really cool opportunity," said Riverview student Lexie Grant.
Stem calls can be modified into other cell types found in blood. They can be transplanted from a healthy person to a cancer patient, for example, to help them fight the disease.
However, the cells need to be compatible and that's why clinics such as the ones in the schools are needed to gather cell samples and information to determine compatibility between possible donors and recipients in the future.
"It's entered into a data bank and it's just a matter of taking two minutes of their time," said Denis Cool, territory manager for Canadian Blood Services. "A minute to fill the questionnaire and a minute to swab.
"And once it's entered in there … it's for a good cause. If they get the call, they know it's to save someone's life."
Biology teacher Chris Battis says students are engaged by the topic.
"What's nice about this new endeavour is they're talking about stem cells and bone marrow, which is new to the students and they just, they love that because it pertains to them, so it's easy for us to transition to the school."
