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‘Possibly save someone’s life’

Woman, family push for bone marrow registry amid illness

Courtesy Photo Heather Walker, pictured here with her 4-year-old dauther, Brielle, was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome in September 2018. Walker has been unable to find a bone marrow match and is encouraging people to sign up for the bone marrow registry to help save the life of someone in need of a bone marrow transplant.

ALPENA — November has been established as National Marrow Awareness Month as a way to encourage people to join the international marrow registry and potentially save a life.

Maybe even the life of Heather Walker.

Walker, an Oscoda native living in Grand Rapids, was recently diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome. Her family, from Florida to Presque Isle County, is pushing everyone around them to join the registry in hopes of finding hope for Walker — or, failing that, another of the thousands of people in need of a bone marrow transplant.

For 30 years, Be The Match has managed the world’s largest and most diverse marrow registry. It is operated by the National Marrow Donor Program, and, to date, has facilitated more than 86,000 marrow and cord blood transplants. It currently facilitates nearly 6,100 transplants per year.

WHY REGISTER?

The U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration estimates there are about 17,500 people diagnosed each year with a form of illness that could benefit from a potentially life-saving bone marrow or umbilical cord transplant.

By simply registering, you could bring hope and life to someone with a life-threatening illness.

Walker is currently holding out hope for a donor match. The 30-year-old, single mother was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome in September. When she was initially diagnosed, doctors remained optimistic that it would be relatively manageable. As a healthy adult and a common bone marrow type, doctors gave a hopeful outlook for finding a donor for Walker.

However, there has been no match discovered, as of yet.

After the diagnosis, the doctors moved quickly and put her on chemotherapy. She is in the middle of five-day chemo treatments, with three weeks off in between each round. They will do that three times before another biopsy is done to determine if her body is responding to the treatment and meeting the criteria for a transplant.

Walker was forced to quit her job to focus on treatment, and that has created a financial strain.

‘MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP’

Walker also has to care for her 4-year-old daughter, Brielle.

Despite all of the difficulty she is facing, Walker has remained optimistic and hopeful through all of it, according to her stepmom, Cynthia Walker.

Cynthia and her husband, David Walker, are residents of Presque Isle County, and they have been working to support Heather in any way possible, including encouraging people to join the bone marrow registry.

Cynthia said she has recruited people all over to spread the word about registering. Her sister-in-law in Florida has worked with her employer to send out companywide information about the registry to raise awareness.

Maybe someone can find a match, even if it isn’t Heather.

Cynthia said it is about saving a life.

“If you can’t help Heather, you might be able to help someone else,” Cynthia said. “That somebody else might be a little baby.”

Heather’s family has stepped up to see if there is a match, but there have only been half-matches with family members. Her mother, Beverly Gardner, is facing her own struggle with cancer and cannot donate to Heather, even if she is a match.

That has left Heather to encourage others to register in hopes of finding a donor.

“I hope that my story encourages people to register as a bone marrow donor,” Heather said in a text message to The News, “and possibly save someone’s life.”

HOW TO REGISTER

Becoming part of the registry is an easy, three-step process that connects people around the world.

Register online at BeTheMatch.org, receive a cheek swab kit in the mail, swab in the inside of your cheek with the materials from the kit, and mail it back.

Doing so puts your genetic information on the registry and makes you available to donate to anyone who is a match, if you so choose.

Joining the registry does not mandate individuals to donate when matches are found.

DONATING

The actual donation of bone marrow has deterred many people from joining the registry, because of the potential pain from the extraction.

However, technological advances mean there are now two methods of donating, one of which is no more painful than donating blood, according to BeTheMatch.org.

Depending on the recipient, the doctor will decide the best route.

The peripheral blood stem cell method, known as PBSC, is the non-surgical method of donation. In that process, donors receive daily injections for five days prior to donation to increase their body’s production of blood-forming cells. Then, on the day of donation, the donor simply has a needle placed in his or her arm — like during blood donation — and blood is drawn out into a machine that separates blood-forming cells. Any remaining blood is returned to the donor.

A surgical bone marrow donation takes place in an actual hospital operation room, and a doctor draws out liquid marrow from the back of the hip bone. Donors receive anesthesia as to avoid any pain or discomfort from the procedure.

Most donors are back to regular activity within one day to a week after the procedure.

Join the bone marrow registry

November is National Marrow Awareness Month. Visit BeTheMatch.org for more informatoin about how to join the international bone marrow registry.

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