How to Help if You’re in India
If you live in India, chances are you can help not only Amit, but the many, many other people around the world. South Asians have a dramatically lower chance of finding a match in the worldwide bone marrow registries than other populations. While this is a big and often tragic problem, it’s one that can be fixed!
So what can you do? First, learn about DATRI, the Indian bone marrow donor registry. Then get your test kit to sign up.
Organizing a drive in India is by far the best way to help Amit find a donor, and as a bonus, each drive can add dozens or even hundreds of new potential donors to the database — meaning your efforts will help countless more find a match.
Plus, it’s REALLY EASY! DATRI is dedicated to helping anyone host a drive, and the test only takes a few minutes and a Q-tip-like swab inside the cheek.
The Volunteer for Amit wiki has detailed instructions for organizing drives and helping out in other ways.
Where to organize a drive:
- In your city or town (your recruiter will help you pick potential locations)
- At your workplace
- A table at any private or public event that’s already been planned (setting up a swab table is easy!)
- At temples or other cultural centers
If you would like to organize a drive, email amitguptaneedsindia@gmail.com or fill out the form below and we will help you get started.
How the recruiter helps you
Your local recruiter is dedicated to helping make sure your event is a success! He or she will do things like:
- Helping select a great location
- Providing test kits - as many you need
- Helping you pick a date and time
- Coming in person to help set up and coordinate if you want
- Providing posters & other promotional materials to help get the word out
- Explaining all the facts about donationso you can be as informed as possible when people ask questions.
- Connecting you with others in your area who want to help organize
- Adding your drive to the list of national donor drives (unless you’re planning a private event)
Resources
Here’s a downloadable zip file of hi-res photos of Amit you’re free to use for posters or promotional materials or press. If you’re using them in an article or post online, the photographer credit is in the filename of each photo.
Readymade posters, flyers, and other materials that you can use to promote and host a drive are available at amitguptaneedsyou.com.
What next?
Got a time and place picked out? Email amit+donordrives@photojojo.com! We’ll add it to the calendar here and do everything we can to help get the word out, too!
Remember to check out the Volunteer for Amit wiki for more instructions and resources to help you organize and run your drive.
Thank you so much for organizing a drive! We are deeply grateful.
