Be the Match Bone Marrow Drive on 1/30 @ Faithbridge Presbyterian Church 11:30-2:30

[NatalieK]

Dear Friends,

I am writing you today to tell you about one such opportunity...the opportunity to save a life!

Last summer a friend of mine from High School, Nancy Harsh, found out that her husband, Terry, had been dignosed with Diffuse Large B cell Lymphoma. Terry is 41 years old, a father of 3, with 20+ years of service in our military. He started chemo, optimistic that with the right doctors and medication he would beat it! I received an email from Nancy several days before Christmas that all treatment options had been exhausted and that the cancer was not responding. She said his only real chance of surviving this was a bone marrow transplant. After ruling out any familial matches, his doctors now search the bone marrow registry everyday to find a match for him. So far they have not been successful.

This is where you come in! He, and many others fighting cancer, need as many people as possible to join the registry. The Be The Match Registry (the new name for the National Marrow Donor Program) helps people with Leukemia and other life threatening diseases find a match to save their life. I am teaming up with Be the Match and my church to host a drive to raise awareness, enlist eligible candidates and raise money to pay for those candidates to be added to the registry. It costs approximately $100 to add someone to the registry because of the specialized testing involved. It will cost you nothing to join; however, contributions are greatfully accepted to offset the cost to the registry.

After receiving the email shortly before Christmas, the news weighed heavily on my heart throughout the holidays. It hit pretty close to home. Nancy and Terry are a family much like my own. The thought crossed my mind more than once, "wow, this could have been us". I thought, if it were, I would want as many people as possible to help. Right now, the way to help is to join the registry. If you are receiving this I knew you would feel the same way and might be willing to help.

There are MANY misconceptions about being a bone marrow donor and I urge you to do the research. I have learned a lot in the last few weeks about the process. The actual registry process is pain free and involves completing a consent form and a cheek swab...no needles or blood draw! There are several requirements to becoming a donor.

You must be between the ages of 18-60, in good general health and willing to donate to any patient that you might match. Please call me if you have any questions...I am happy to discuss the process and details with you! Here is a great link to some general info about becoming and being a bone marrow donor...

http://www.marrow.org/JOIN/index.html

Because the chance of a match is closely linked with your genetic heritage, we especially urge anyone with a Central European, German, Czech, Polish, Croation or Slovenian descent to come get registered, as this is what Terry needs.


Sunday, January 30th

11:30-2:30

Faithbridge Presbyterian Church

10930 College Parkway

Frisco, TX 75035



If you do not think you are eligible or not willing to join the registry at this time, consider making a financial contribution. And last, but certainly not least, please keep Terry, Nancy and their family in your prayers as he continues to fight this.

Here is the link to Terry's Be The Match team page where you will find much more information about him, his story, how to help, etc...please take a minute to check it out.

www.bethematchfoundation.org/goto/Terry2011

Thanks in advance for your help and prayers. I constantly feel blessed to be in this community where the support for situations just like this is always amazing and overwhelming!

Thanks,

Amy Guest