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In June of 2001 Marc was diagnosed with a
Cutaneous T Cell lymphoma called Mycosis Fungoides. We are
now in the process of looking for a bone marrow donor match. I have
a sister but unfortunately she was not a match. Since tissue type is
inherited, the best chance of finding a genetically matched donor
for Marc, as well as hundreds of other patients lies with those of
similar ethnicity. Gift of Life Bone Marrow Foundation, North
America's Jewish donor registry, has been facilitating drives and
providing donor and patient support for patients like Marc since
1991. For more information call 1-800-9-MARROW or visit www.giftoflife.org.
YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE JEWISH TO BE TESTED.
ALL RESULTS ARE ALSO SUBMITTED TO NATIONAL DONOR REGISTRY SO PLEASE
GET TESTED.
We
are asking you to consider joining us at this time in registering
with the Gift of Life Bone
Marrow Foundation as
a potential donor. All you have to do
is go on to their website at https://www.giftoflife.org/Public/Online/Donor/Guidelines.aspx
complete
the questions and register
as a donor. The cost to process your specimen is $54.
The Foundation has
offered
to waive this fee for individuals who sign up on Marc's behalf; you
just need to enter
the
sponsorship code of
SaveMarc when you register. (Of course, if you enter this
code,
you still are welcome to make
a
monetary
donation to help defray some of the costs.)
Once
this is done, the Gift of Life will send a cheek swab kit to
you.
You
follow the instructions and
send it back and you are registered. Potential matches can be
called upon
to donate until
they
are 61 years old, so the sooner you sign up, the more likely you
will be able to help someone over
the years. We
sincerely hope that one of us is a match
for
Marc, but if we aren't and it turns
out that we are able to help another person
in this way, that would be wonderful as well.
By volunteering to sign up you will be
performing what is called In Judiasm as a mitzvah. The
term mitzvah has also come to express an act of human
kindness.
And please do not hesitate to pass this
information on to others. Maybe your friend's friend is the
person who will become one of the fortunate who is able to help
Marc or someone else and give the Gift of Life.
For further information visit one of the
following web sites. If
you are a Facebook user go to http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=109959942768&ref=nf or you can visit http://merrillsmediamagic.com/BoneMarrowtransplanthelpforMarcMerrill.html
Thank you,
Caren and
Marc
Eligible
donors must be between the ages of 18-60 and in general good
health
Registration involves a simple swap of cells from the
inside the cheek (No blood required at this stage.)
Those
previously tested do not need to be retested
Contact Info:
Information coming soon as to how to become a
donor.
If you are a member of any law enforcement angency or
know of someone who is and they have cancer or are a survivor please
visit "The Law Enforcement Cancer Support
Foundation". The website can be found at http://www.lecsf.net
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