Mental Health

Bone Marrow Registrants Spikes after GMA Anchor Announcement

By Staff Reporter | Update Date: Jun 27, 2012 11:13 AM EDT

Nearly two weeks after Good Morning America Anchor Robin Roberts announced that she was diagnosed with a rare blood disorder,myelodysplastic syndrome , just five years after beating breast cancer, registrants for bone marrow donors have nearly doubled.

According to Jeffrey Chell, CEO of the registry Be the Match, more than 15,000 people had registered since Roberts announced her diagnosis June 11. That's 11,200 more registrants than it would normally receive in that period, Chell said.

Roberts will receive a transplant later this year from her sister and has taken steps to help others who need treatment. Roberts' sister is a perfect match and that occurrence is rare, happening about 30 percent of the time.

On Tuesday, she helped ABC News organize its first company wide bone marrow drive for employees to become donors.

George Stephanopoulos and Lara Spencer of "GMA" and ABC News President Ben Sherwood showed up by a cafeteria, swabbing material from their mouths.

"We want to do everything we can to help thousands of families across the country looking for that life saving marrow match," Sherwood said.

Roberts said her mother told her to "turn a mess into a message."

"When I received this latest disappointment I did not know what the message would be," she said, "and now I do."

Roberts also said that she was overwhelmed by the support from her colleuges.

"I can't believe the response and I'm really touched that people want to help," said Roberts.

To register is just a simple swab, collecting cells from the inside of your cheek. And if you are a match for someone, the donation process nowadays is usually similar to a blood transfusion.

To become a donor, go to www.bethematch.org.

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