In the second part of our series on the need for bone marrow donors, NY1's Erin Billups takes a look at what goes into donating bone marrow and some of the lingering misconceptions.

Following the death of their colleague, Marlon Layne, members of the marketing firm Ogilvy & Mather started a campaign to get the word out about the prevalence of blood cancers and the need for more diversity within the donor pool.

Over the past three years they've raised nearly $42,000 for the cause and signed up around 160 new donors to the Be the Match Registry.

"I cant change the past but I can ensure that in the future nobody else like Marlon has to be waiting for a marrow registrant from somebody whos of their same race," says Ogilvy & Mather Marketing Analytics Associate Director Omari Jinaki.

Omari Jinaki says he has noticed a level of hesitancy to participate within the black community, though.

"That is rooted, clearly, in hundreds of years of history of being misguided and misrepresented and underrepresented by the systems that are supposed to protect us," Jinaki says.

There's also a lack of awareness of the need within the Latino and Asian communities, and lingering misconceptions the donation process.

Many believe it's painful, with significant recovery time.

"The process has changed in the way one donates bone marrow. Seventy-five percent of the time, it's just like a blood donation," says Icla Da Silva Foundation President Airam Da Silva.

Depending on the recipient's need, most can now donate via a peripheral blood stem cell, or PBSC.

The rest is here:
Misconceptions Keep Bone Marrow Registry from Attracting Diverse Donor Pool