are you amit's bone marrow match?

What up, South Asians. Please consider helping out a brother in need. Amit Gupta was recent diagnosed with acute leukemia, and is currently undergoing chemotherapy for treatment. But what he really needs is a bone marrow transplant. That is, of course, easier said than done.

Amit's best chances of survival will be a match from someone of South Asian descent, but there's a serious underrepresentation in the bone marrow pool. The national bone marrow registry has 9.5 million records on file, yet the chances of someone of South Asian descent finding a match are apparently only 1 in 20,000.

But Amit's friends and loved ones are trying to help him destroy those odds. And that's how you can help: Let's Help Amit Defeat Leukemia!.

How? By finding and registering as many people of South Asian descent as we possibly can.

Tests are easy - a simple swab of the cheek. If someone is determined to be a match, that person would have to be willing to undergo an outpatient procedure in which marrow is extracted from bones in the back by a special needle. It's not a fun procedure, but it's not dangerous either. And doing it could save a life.

That's why, starting now, we are encouraging anyone of South Asian descent between the ages of 18 to 60 to take a test to see if you're a match.

You can register online for your test, or, if you're in New York, you can join us Friday, October 14th, for a special party we are throwing to rally support.

We'll have test kits on hand at the party, as well as music, booze, and maybe even a photo booth. It will, for the first time, combine a House 2.0-style party with a New Work City-style party, and if you've ever been to either, you know they are always something special.

Even if you can't attend or get tested, you can still help.

While you are not required to pay to be tested, the bone marrow tests do cost money. We want to do our part to pay for the tests we will be sending in, so you can donate using the below registration form to help! Donate whatever you can do 4amit@nwc.co - the money will go directly to the cost of the tests.

You can also help by reaching out to any South Asian friends you know and asking them to spread the word to their friends and relatives.

Spread the word, tell all your South Asian friends, and then tell them to tell their friends. Your registration could save Amit Gupta's life. But even if you're not his match, you could be the critical match for someone else in need.

If you're in New York, you're invited to a special Brown Bones Benefit Party on October 14 to rally support around Amit. Here's the Facebook event. Here's some more information, in Amit's own words: Amit Gupta likes you!