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The Hackensack Fire Department continues its four-day bone marrow registration drive for Owen today and tomorrow from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.
“This is when you know you have to step up,” Freeman said. “When a young life is at stake, we all have to do our part.”
It’s quick, simple, easy.
Owen’s disease prevents his blood from producing red or white blood cells or platelets, making it impossible for him to fight infection. The youngster has had several blood and platelet transfusions, along with immunosuppressive therapy but is no longer responding to those therapies.
SEE: A Hero For Owen
His best chance now is a bone marrow transplant: A perfectly matched donor gives him a 90% of surviving.
The HLA Registry at Community Blood Services is holding the drives at the Hackensack Fire Department, 205 State Street, continuing today and tomorrow.
It’s free, painless and easy: A simple swab is taken of the inner cheek.
They’re seeking people 18-44.
“We’re counting on our firefighters to spread the word among their colleagues, families and friends to stop by and register at one of the drives,” Freeman said.
MORE INFO: Patrice Foresman (HLA Registry): 201-705-1615
If you cannot make it, click here to register: bethematch.org (Use promo code: OWEN2013).
If you can’t register but want to help, you can defer the cost of adding new members to the registry by sending a check (every $100 adds a new member) to:
SEE: A Hero For Owen
The HLA Registry
102 Chestnut Ridge Road
Montvale, NJ 07645.
The HLA Registry at Community Blood Services is a member of the National Marrow Donor Program’s (NMDP).
It is the largest non-governmental donor center in the U.S. and has registered more than 230,000 potential donors in the NMDP’s data base.
HLA stands for human leukocyte antigens, the genetic information encoded on white blood cells.
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