DKMS, the world's largest bone marrow donor center, and the New York Red Bulls will host a bone marrow donor drive on Saturday, April 18, to benefit Real Salt Lake midfielder Andy Williams' wife, Marcia, who is battling leukemia, and thousands of others just like her. Fans are invited to arrive early for the match at Giants Stadium's Stadium Club as the Red Bulls team up with Real Salt Lake and DKMS. It is crucial to find a matching bone marrow donor for Williams.
New York Red Bulls Managing Director Erik Stover and select players will show their support for the Williams family before the match by registering as potential bone marrow donors.
"We're all a family in the soccer world," said Stover. "Finding a match for Marcia is a priority and through this process, we hope to add hundreds of people to the bone marrow registry."
Registering as a bone marrow donor is more than a cheek swab, it is a commitment to help save a life. Fans need to complete a registration form and swab their cheeks. All donors who register will be placed on the national registry and can potentially be a life-saving match for Marcia and thousands of others like her who are battling life-threatening blood cancers and need a bone marrow transplant.
"Ethnicity is a key factor in finding a bone marrow donor match," stated Katharina Harf, EVP, DKMS Americas. "Currently, only 8% of the more than seven million registered donors on the national registry are African-American, and because their tissue-type is more varied, it is even harder for them to find a match." "We need people from all ethnic groups and backgrounds to join DKMS in the fight against leukemia," added Harf.
The Red Bulls, along with five other MLS teams, have joined together to grow the bone marrow database, giving more hope to Marcia and others who are in need.
A misconception is that donating bone marrow is complicated and painful. There are two ways - both outpatient procedures - to donate: 80% of the time, stem cells are collected from the donors' bloodstream with the aid of a synthetic protein called filgrastim, similar to donating platelets, and 20% of the time, liquid bone marrow is drawn from the pelvic bone using a hollow needle.
As a non-profit organization, DKMS relies on the generosity of individuals to help finance the $65 cost DKMS pays to tissue type each bone marrow donor who registers. For Saturday's drive, there is no cost to donors. Donations are voluntary and will be collected in the Stadium Club at Giants Stadium. Every dollar counts! 100% of your donation will be used to register donors and add them on the National Registry.
