Thursday, April 16, 2009

KPhiG's C.A.R.E. Week Photos

Check out some of the highlights from this evening's Mr. CARE Week Pageant! Check back for more photos soon. DJ Incredible from 99.3 was fantastic. Great job KPhiG ~ and special thanks to the guys for making the evening so much fun too!

Monday, April 13, 2009

Marrow Drive - Diverse Patients Need Donors!


MEDIA ADVISORY
For Tuesday April 21, 2009

National Institutes of Health (NIH) Marrow Donor Event
Event Raises Awareness about the Need for More Black and African American Marrow Donors

WHAT: Prince George’s County residents can take the first step to save a life by joining the Be The Match RegistrySM between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Tuesday, April 21, 2009 at Prince George’s Community College (PGCC) Largo Student Center, Community Rooms A & B, by simply swabbing their cheeks.

The NIH Marrow Donor Program, along with the Nursing Program of Prince George’s Community College (PGCC), is holding the marrow drive in the hopes of raising local awareness about the dire need for donors to join the Be The Match RegistrySM. Donors with diverse racial or ethnic backgrounds are especially critical, as patients in need of a transplant are most likely to match someone of their own race and ethnicity. The event is open to all.


WHEN: Tuesday, April 21, 2009 WHERE: Prince George’s Community College
3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Largo Student Center, Community Rms A&B
301 Largo Road
Largo, MD 20774
(301) 322.0400
SPECIAL FEATURE: 93.9 WKYS radio will attend with DJ Antonio who will have giveaways and offer live call-ins to the radio station.
PHOTO/INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITIES:
· Recipient Dwayne, 20, Maryland: Diagnosed with aplastic anemia while living in his native Jamaica, he traveled to the NIH, where he received his marrow transplant approximately 18 months ago. He is very excited about the opportunity to speak at the PGCC donor drive.
· Donor Garrett Stackman, Silver Spring, MD: Stackman, an attorney and NIH donor, joined the Registry when a colleague of his wife’s was searching for a marrow match. Almost two years ago he donated his cells to a man who was in the fight of his life; the two met for the first time this past October. Stackman, who considers this one of the more important things he’ll do in his life, is eager to share his donation experience.
· WKYS Radio Station, Antonio "The Cuban Cigar Smoker": WKYS is partnering with the NIH Marrow Donor Program and PGCC to encourage local residents to come learn more about marrow donation, the need for diverse donors, and to join the Registry.
· Maryland Delegates


WHY: For thousands of patients with life-threatening diseases such as leukemia and lymphoma, a marrow transplant from an unrelated donor is their best or only hope for a cure. These patients depend on the Be The Match RegistrySM to find a match – and a second chance at life. While many patients do find the life-saving match they need each year, more donors are needed to help increase the likelihood that all patients will find a life-saving match.


About the National Marrow Donor Program® (NMDP) and Be The Match
The NMDP operates the Be The Match RegistrySM and partners with a global network of leading hospitals,
blood centers, cord blood banks, laboratories and recruiters. As a leader in the field of marrow and cord
blood transplantation, the NMDP facilitates transplants worldwide, conducts research to improve survival and
quality of life, and provides education to health care professionals and patients. Since it began operations in
1987, the NMDP has provided more than 35,000 transplants to help give patients a second chance at life.
For more information, visit www.BeTheMatch.org or call 1 (800) MARROW-2.

CONTACT: Gina L. Boyd, The NIH Marrow Donor Program, Cell: 202.345.5412, Office: 301.496.0572 , Email: boydg@cc.nih.gov


Meghann Long
Recruiting Assistant
NIH Marrow Donor Program
6011 Executive Blvd
Rockville, MD 20852
301-496-0572

May 16th St. Baldricks ~ Ri Ra's Irish Pub 12:00pm

We wanted to let you know about another opportunity to participate in St. Baldricks!

This event will have a silent auction, raffle and of course a whole lot of head shaving. This is a kid friendly event and will include activities for all children that attend.

Ri Ra Irish Pub
4930 Elm Street
Bethesda, MD 20814

St. Baldricks is the worlds largest fund-raising event for childhood cancer research. Last year St. B’s raised over $50 million dollars! This is a head shaving event, people (men, women and children) volunteer to shave their heads in order to raise funds for children with cancer.

The organizers of this St. Baldrick's event, Andrea,Adrienne and Tiffany, are pediatric nurses that now or at one time worked with oncology children. Last year they raised $37,000!

Here is a link to the event:
Ri Ra St. Baldrick's

Friday, April 10, 2009

Parent Night ~ Late Effects

Many parents find going off treatment particularly stressful. After all, we've been on a mission each and every day of our child's treatment. When that is over, we may feel as if the security blanket of "doing something" has been taken away.

We hope you'll join us on April 29th for pizza, kids activity and our special guest, Dr. Jennifer Dean. We hope to see you on the 29th! Click on the flyer to enlarge. RSVP to DCCandlelighters@gmail.com or Connie Connor.



This event is co-sponsored by DC Candlelighters.

Neuroblastoma Finding - COG Statement

Children's Oncology Group (COG) has issued a statement regarding findings that will change their neuroblastoma protocols. Read it here: COG Statement 3/19/2009

Sunday, April 5, 2009

CARE Week ~ Save the Date!



C.A.R.E. Week - Cancer Awareness: a Real Effort
This event by the Kappa Phi Gamma sorority of George Mason University will promote awareness of childhood cancer and raise funds for DC Candlelighters!

We hope you can come out and participate!