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| Michael Brecker Update by Emily Brecker Greenberg My beloved brother, 11-time Grammy Award winning jazz saxophonist Michael Brecker, has recently been diagnosed with Myelo-Dysplastic Syndrome (MDS), a pre-leukemic bone marrow disorder. A stem cell transplant could save his life. The initial search for a donor that included me, our older brother Randy, and Michael’s two children did not result in a match. Michael’s doctors have told us that the best way of finding a match for him is to increase the donor registry numbers with people of similar genetic backgrounds – in this case, people of Eastern European Jewish descent. By being tested, you will be eligible to help Michael and others in his situation. To increase Michael's chances, we are having a DONOR DRIVE ON: SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30TH FROM 10 A.M. TO 3 P.M. REFORM CONGREGATION KENESETH ISRAEL 8339 OLD YORK ROAD ELKINS PARK, PA The testing here requires a swabbing from the inside of your cheeks with 4 sterile q-tips. Your tissues typing information will be posted on the national registry where it will also be available to others in need of a stem cell transplant. You are never legally obligated to be a donor and you can remove your name from the registry at any time. However, a decision not to donate can be life threatening to a patient and among the most disheartening news a family can ever receive. Therefore, please carefully consider your decision to be a donor and take appropriate action. There have been tremendousadvances in stem cell/bone marrow transplants. The process may be no more invasive than giving blood. Stem cells can now be harvested directly from the donor's blood. In many cases, the blood is removed from one arm and filtered through a cell-separating machine that collects the stem cells. The donor’s blood is then returned through the other arm. In other cases, stem cells may have to be harvested directly from your bone marrow. All the necessary precautions are taken to ensure the safety and well being of the donor. The inconvenience and risk involved is minimal compared to the amazing reward of saving someone’s life! We hope that you'll join our effort on SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30TH FROM 10 A.M. TO 3 P.M. AT REFORM CONGREGATION KENESETH ISRAEL If you are unable to attend the donor drive, you can contact the Gift of Life Foundation and order a swab kit for $18.00 by going online at www.giftoflife.org. This organization is providing us with swab kits for free at our donor drive. You may alsowish to consider helping with a tax-deductible donation made payable to: Gift of Life Bone Marrow Foundation 7700 Congress Ave. Suite 2201 Boca Raton, FL 33487 They (and WE) will appreciate your support! We will also be collecting contributions on the day of the drive. If you need further information about the bone marrow/stem cell donation process, check these two websites: www.giftoflife.org or www.marrow.org. One final request: could you please send a copy of this email to the people in your address book? If everyone who receives this email can motivate friends to join the effort by forwarding this letter, then we will have rapidly expanded the pool of potential donors. Thank you so very much for your help. We are extremely grateful. With Love, Emily Brecker Greenberg and Howard Greenberg write your comments about the article :: © 2005 Jazz News :: home page |