As Chair of the Commission, I urge all those within the Native community to take a moment of their time on Jan 5th or 6th and participate in  one of the 2 registration drives in hopes of locating a donor to help in the battle of this life threatening disease for the Nelson family.

For Immediate Release

December 5, 2007

Contact: Nicole Ruberia 401-248 -5720

Patient Inspires Marrow Registration Drives

East Montpelier Sugar House, (802-224-1055), in cooperation with the National Marrow Donor Program, will sponsor a marrow registration drive from 12:00–4:00 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 6, in their upstairs location at 4423 US Rte. 2.

To register, individuals must be between the ages of 18 and 60 and in good health. A simple cheek swab is all that is required for marrow typing. There is no cost to those who register. For information, call 1-800-283-8385, extension 720.

The registration drive is dedicated to Nicole Nelson, a 34-year-old Concord, NH resident. Nicole was diagnosed this fall with severe aplastic anemia, a disease in which the bone marrow stops producing enough blood-forming cells, and needs a marrow transplant to cure her life-threatening condition. None of her family members are a match for the transplant.

Because marrow type in inherited, the best candidates to be a donor for Nicole are those of similar French, Native American Indian and Northern European backgrounds, although donors of all backgrounds are needed. The National Marrow Donor Program estimates that 10,000 adults and children with life-threatening diseases could benefit from marrow or blood cell transplant from an unrelated donor each year.

 For more information about marrow transplants and donation please visit www.marrow.org . 

An additional drive will take place on January 5, 2007 from 12-4pm in Swanton, VT at the Abenaki Tribal Headquarters, (802-868-2559), 100 Grand Ave.