MSS Swab The World

Club week video

About the club

Stem cell transplants represent hope, and often, a second chance at life for patients with a wide variety of hematological and metabolic diseases such as blood cancers. However, the diagnosis of blood cancer means something drastically different depending on your ethnicity or the colour of your skin. Patients are most likely to find a compatible stem cell donor who shares their ethnicity and ancestry; however, our stem cell donor registries lack diversity. 70% of the Canadian registry is Caucasian, while it is only 15% Asian, 2% Arab, 1% Black, and less than 1% Métis —greatly reducing the odds that a non-Caucasian Canadian will find a compatible stem cell donor. MSS Swab The World aims to make blood cancer a fairer fight for all Canadians by building awareness for the critical need of stem cell donors; in particular, in underrepresented ethnic groups, and recruiting informed and committed individuals to register to become stem cell donors at McGill University and in the greater Montreal community.

Contact information

RolePersonContact
Co-PresidentLilly Groszman, class of 2025lilly.groszman@mail.mcgill.ca
Co-PresidentSophie Zhu, DMD 2025sophie.zhu2@mail.mcgill.ca
Swab Talk DirectorThalia Nguyen, class of 2024thalia.nguyen@mail.mcgill.ca
Communications DirectorJennifer Merariu, class of 2024jennifer.merariu@mail.mcgill.ca
High School/CEGEP Talk LeadEmily Sarid, class of 2023emily.sarid@mail.mcgill.ca
Co-Swab Talk LeadYaman Zarour, class of 2025yaman.zarour@mail.mcgill.ca
Co-Swab Talk LeadRaphael Rezkallah, class of 2025raphael.rezkallah@mail.mcgill.ca
Marianopolis LeadLexi Payne, class of 2027lexipayne79@gmail.com
Interprofessional Collaboration LeadSamantha Eisman, class of 2024
Outaouais Campus LeadCariane Driad, class of 2026
VP FundraisingJake Rose, class of 2025jake.rose@mail.mcgill.ca
VP FundraisingMarie-Laurence Brunet, class of 2025marie-laurence.brunet@mail.mcgill.ca
VP FundraisingRoy Khalaf, class of 2025
Med-1 RepSarah Mashal, class of 2026sarah.mashal@mail.mcgill.ca
Med-2 RepWilliam Davalan, class of 2025william.davalan@mail.mcgill.ca
Med-P RepShuang Wang, class of 2027shuang.wang2@mail.mcgill.ca
Nursing Rep (Hema/Onc)Jayme Rothstein, B. Com. 2021jayme.rothstein@mail.mcgill.ca
Nursing Rep (Hema/Onc)Rose-Marie Seguin, B. Com. 2021rose-marie.seguin@mail.mcgill.ca
SSMU RepAnahita Molkaraei, BSc 2023
SSMU RepSasha Pinto, BSc 2023
Nutrition RepRenée Pahirden, B. Sc. 2023pahading.gulinigaer@mail.mcgill.ca
McGill Arts RepMorgan Maceachern, B. A. 2024morgan.maceachern@mail.mcgill.ca
Neuroscience RepZoe Harrington, BSc 2025
Indigenous Outreach AmbassadorCraig Sky, class of 2026
Communications Team MemberEmily Jamet, BCom 2026
Desautels RepGabriel Medvedovsky, BCom 2023
Adam KriskoAndré-Grasset Rep