Be the Match Bone Marrow Testing and Art show featuring local artists

Collections 2 Save Lives

Can you make a difference in the world and in the lives of perfect strangers? Yes, you can!

Be the Match Bone Marrow testing is scheduled to take place for three days 
(September 6, 7 & 8) at Christ Episcopal Church, 408 South Broadway, Redondo Beach.  The church will simultaneously host an art show of local artists to raise funds to help offset the cost of DNA testing, sorting and logging results incurred by Be the Match. 

Testing is as simple as swabbing your mouth for DNA which is then stored in a 
worldwide data system used to find matches for people fighting blood cancers.  For the many people suffering from blood-related cancers that desperately need to find a donor match for a transplant of blood cycling of cells, this is their last hope for a cure.  Testing is done on people between 18 to 44 years of age but results stay in the data bank and one may be found to be a match and donate up to 62 years of age. Because the cost to the organization for testing, storage and 
maintenance is about $120 per test, the ages for testing have been lowered strictly out of financial need to have connectivity in matching those tested.

In 2007 a young member of Christ Episcopal Church, then 3 year old Maya Chamberlain, was diagnosed with HLH (hemophagocylic lymphohistiocytosis), with a very slim chance for survival without a donor match and some pretty severe treatment.  That spurred members of the church to organize their first testing weekend.  A match was not found through the church efforts but a match was found and a lovely Maya Chamberlain started public school in September 2012.  Maya's story is only one of many lives that were changed from tragedy to a triumph because someone, somewhere stepped up and said...."I will do this."

Trudy Bush, the administrator of Christ Church and the mother of a teenage daughter, was found to be a match and was recently a donor.  She now knows that her blood cycling procedure (this system is chosen for than 60% of the time these days by the treating physician) helped a 58 year old man suffering from MDSC Syndrome continue his life. In her own words, "I would do it again and I don't understand why everyone isn't on the registry.  I mean, wouldn't we all like to save someone's life after all?  It wasn't really painful and I am no worse for the wear."

Besides the testing, the church will be hosting an art show featuring local artists concurrent with the collection times to raise funds to help defray the costs of testing. Participating artists have agreed to donate 25% of their sales to Be the Match so no matter what the age, everyone can find a way to help. "Even if you are aged out of being a donor and don't really need art, just coming to support the cause adds energy to the project," says co-chairperson Jeanne Kipp.

"I am too old to be a donor but I have a little money I can contribute and a lot of energy that may help make a difference," says Barbara ramsey-Duke, co-chairperson. "If there are others like me who would like to volunteer a little time, please call and we will use your person-power to conduct the testing."

Be the Match will be held:

Friday, September 6        6 - 9 pm
Saturday, September 7    12 noon – 5 p.m.
Sunday, September 8        11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Christ Episcopal Church is located at 408 South Broadway, Redondo Beach.  If you have further questions or would like to volunteer we would love to have you; please contact Barbara ramsey-Duke at (310) 251-6830.