Westfield Interfaith Community Hosts Bone Marrow Donor Drive to Save Lives

Westfield, NJ — Cancer is a random killer. It can strike any one of us at any time. For many patients suffering from leukemia, lymphoma, other cancers and genetic diseases, there is hope of a cure through a bone marrow transplant. That is, of course, if a donor can be found.

2 ½ year old Owen Hogan has Severe Aplastic Anemia and is in urgent need of a life-saving donor so he can receive the transplant that can save his life. So far, no match has been found. Tissue type is inherited, like eye or hair color. Owen’s best chance of finding a genetic match lies with donors of Western European descent, but volunteers of all backgrounds are encouraged to join the donor registry.

The Gift of Life Bone Marrow Foundation in conjunction with the Westfield Interfaith Community will be hosting a donor recruitment drive at Temple Emanu-El located at 756 East Broad Street in Westfield on Sunday, November 24th, 2013 from 2:30 pm – 4:30pm, and 5:45pm – 6:15pm. You can find out if you are a match for Owen and countless other children and adults by joining Gift of Life, and the worldwide donor registry.  Testing is fast and painless, involving only a simple cheek swab. Eligible donors must be between the ages of 18-60 and in general good health. Please help us spread the word.

At 5pm in the sanctuary, there will also be a 45 minute Interfaith Thanksgiving service hosted by clergy from Temple Emanu-El, Holy Trinity RC Church, First Congregational Church, First Baptist Church, First Presbyterian Church and First United Methodist Church. 

It is reported that one in 200 Americans will receive a transplant with marrow, blood stem cells or cord blood in their lifetime. One in 400 will require cells from another person (a donor). Only 30 percent of patients have a relative who is a match. The rest must search the unrelated donor pool. There is an urgent need to grow the registry of potential donors so that all patients have an equal opportunity to receive a transplant.

For more information about Gift of Life and saving lives through bone marrow donation, please visit www.giftoflife.org or call 1-800-9MARROW.

*Gift of Life Bone Marrow Foundation is a 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to saving lives and facilitating bone marrow and blood stem cell transplants for patients with leukemia, lymphoma, and other blood-related diseases. Ranking among the top international bone marrow registries, Gift of Life’s mission is to find a match Anytime. Anywhere. For anyone.