Your Chance to Help

Jeremiah 29:11
"...I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

We are full of hope that God will find a donor so Tammy can have a bone-marrow transplant. It is our prayer that His plan includes complete healing.

We are honored that a good friend--our "wingman"--is spear-heading a bone-marrow drive at Cedar Ridge Christian Church, 8835 Lackman Rd., Lenexa, KS, between 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 31. Representatives from the National Marrow Donor Program will be there to conduct the tests, and through "community matching funds" will reduce the cost to $25 per person, rather than the normal $52 for a test (ethnic minorities generally are free).

This is a non-invasive test. A simple swab of the cheek will generate the necessary sample for the test. If a match is found, the donor will have blood drawn, the bone marrow will be sifted out, and the blood will be returned to the donor.

A bone-marrow transplant is the only curative treatment for myelodysplasia, the pre-cursor to leukemia. There are 3 million people in the national registry, but there is always a need for more donors.

Tammy is committed to fighting the disease, but she is completely at peace with whatever God brings her. She looks at this battle as a way to bring hope to others--to be "used in a mighty way." A bone-marrow drive in her honor will mean a lot more names added to the national donor registry, whether or not a match is found for her.

If you would like to be tested but can't attend the bone-marrow drive on the 31st, go to www.marrow.org to order your test kit. You never know whose life you might save.