Volunteers are needed to join the National Marrow Donor Program's registry, and one local life is at stake. 25-year-old Marc Gold of Olney was recently diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia. Gold's family is hoping for people to help, and says it's easy to see if you can become a candidate.
There are two bone marrow donor drives being held for Marc on Sunday, March 22nd at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington in Rockville and Precision Health & Fitness in Bethesda.
Another donor drive on March 29th will honor 11-year-old leukemia patient Daniel Eisig of Damascus. Eisig is recovering after a newborn's family donated umbilical cord blood.
Diane Heyde of Alexandria, already in the bone marrow registry, says she looks forward to the next call she receives to determine whether she is someone's match.
She says, "If I could save one life, I feel like I've served my purpose on earth. I hope other people will become bone marrow donors and save someone, too."
Heyde initially got involved to help a friend's husband. No match for him was found however, and he died.
Debbie Gold says her son is "an absolutely amazing kid." He graduated from Columbia University in 2006. Before being diagnosed he was working for ETS, the company that writes questions for SAT tests. This while also pursuing graduate school.
"His ambition is to be an english professor," Debbie says.
Right now, Gold's immune system is so compromised, he's in virtual isolation. His mom says, "We're looking to have as many people tested as humanly possible to get in the bone marrow registry. We pray that someone ends up being a match for Marc."
The National Institute of Health's Marrow Donor Program has information on what's involved in being a potential donor here.
Pregnant women also may be able to help Leukemia victims by donating cord blood; blood that remains in a baby's umbilical cord after the cord has been cut. You can find more information here and here.
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