Bone Marrow Drives

[phisigduchesscv]

Hello my sisters,

I just received some bad news about one of my friends who is being treated for testicular cancer that has spread in to the lungs. The doctor was able to remove the testicular cancer bu the lung cancer is the type that isn't operable but will often respond well to chemo. But the chemo has made him really sick and he's been in and out of the hospital a couple times getting blood transfusions and just being kept in an isolation type room until they can get his blood back up to normal. They had decided not to do the last day of chemo treatment because of how bad his blood count was. The good news was the chemo Ron's been undergoing did reduce the number of cancer nodes in the lungs from too many to count down to about 18. However the bad news is that there is still the cancer there so they need to do another full round of chemo. Then after this they are going to look in to the possibility of doing a bone marrow transplant.

Hopefully they'll be able to find a match right away, in the meantime to help increase the number of potential matches for Ron I was hoping that some of you may be able to presuade your chapters to host a bone marrow drive on your campus early in the fall. My chapter helped with one this past spring focused on increasing the number of minority donors. I'm going to ask my chapter, along with other campus organizations, if they would host another marrow donor registry drive. I haven't even told my friend, Ron, that this is something I am thinking about seeing if we can do.

Anyway, please keep Ron and his wife, Roxane, in your prayers. I hope you will be encourage your chapters to host a bone marrow drive, even if a match isn't found for Ron it may result in a match for another person.

LITP
Carolyn

p.s. encourage all your male friends to check themselves the way women are encouraged to check for lumps. Ron is only 36. From this I found out that testicular cancer is the number one cancer for men ages 15 to 40.

...but I think it's a wonderful idea to hold a bone marrow drive if it's possible.

Finding as many donors as possible for the national registry has been a personal crusade of mine ever since a family friend's baby girl needed a match. She was adopted from China, and the local support she got was overwhelming. The local registry said that donors increased by 300% just by the drives held at the family's church and in other parts of the community.

Even with the number of minorities registered, it was too late for Baby Dayle. She passed away about two weeks ago. Still, they got word that two lives were saved because of the drives held for Baby Dayle, so at least something wonderful happened in spite of baby's passing.

I will definitely keep Ron and his family in my prayers, and I truly hope a match is found soon.

[SapphireSphinx9]

Ohmigod! This thread sent chills down my back!

Carolyn, lemme know when, where and all that good stuff... I'll be more than happy to help out, whatever way I can. I'll keep Ron in my prayers.

Sandy, I'm sorry to hear about Baby Dayle. I hope her parents understand what an impact they have made. Please give them my deepest sympathy.

LITP~Beth

[phisigduchesscv]

Sandy, I will keep Baby Dayle's family in my prayers - such a heartbreaking story with at least some good in it.

I've emailed the eboard of the chapter but with summer break not sure when they'll be able to say if this is something they want to do or not. Our Circle K chapter on campus (a sister is president) has said they will help us out if eboard decides we're going to do the donor registry drive.

I found out the doctors may be able to actually harvest some of Ron's bone marrow and then return it back to him so we may not need an unknown donor. Also, Ron has a fraternal twin who is willing to try to be matched. Even with these possibilities I still want to have the donor registry drive any way. If another Baby Dayle or even her momma or daddy can be saved then doing the drive is worth it.