GRAND RAPIDS — When Lisa Arnold's niece Erin was diagnosed with lymphoblastic leukemia at the age of 24, Arnold knew she needed to do something.
Erin's cancer wasn't responding to multiple rounds of chemotherapy. A marrow transplant seemed to be the only option to treat the cancer, which affects blood and bone marrow.
So, Arnold got involved with the National Marrow Donation Program, which helps match those in need of marrow with those who are willing to donate it. And now she's organized a local event to give more people a chance to get involved.
Arnold and Erin, who asked us not to use her last name, were recent guests on the KAXE Morning Show. It's been just over a year since Erin received marrow from an anonymous donor.
"Erin wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for this registry," Arnold said. "It's so simple. You fill out a short registration, you swab and you wait. You could wait 10-30 years. However, you could also save a life."
Each year, about 18,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with a life-threatening illness, where a marrow transplant is the best option for treatment, according to the Health Resources and Services Administration. About 70% of those people are unable to find a marrow match within their families.
That's where the National Marrow Donation Program comes in. Healthy individuals between the ages of 18 and 35 can submit a cheek swab and get put on a national registry of marrow donors.
People can join the registry Friday, Aug. 22, at the Grand Rapids Dairy Queen from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and again from 5-7 p.m. Kari Hutchins, owner of the local Dairy Queen, will donate $10 to the program for each person who signs up, up to 150 people.
If you can't attend, you can text CURECANCERNOW to 61474 to get a kit mailed to you.
There are rules about donors and patients being in contact until a year has passed. Now, Erin has been able to email that woman.
"How do you thank someone for something so big? But I'm very grateful I got the chance to do so," Erin said. "It's been really incredible to get to have those conversations."
KAXE music producer Malachy Koons was part of our Morning Show conversation, and he been a marrow donor.
"It has been this weird sort of in-between period where I don't know what's going on, but I'm obviously hoping for the best. And I'm hoping to one day get introduced to the person who received my marrow as well," Koons said.
Listen to our full conversation above!
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