Marrow donor project seeks enrollees

Fund-raiser planned

April 30 at Fairfax

By FRITZ BUSCH

Journal Staff Writer

FAIRFAX -- Fairfax residents Brennan Schaefer and Dennis Murphy are examples of the the life-saving wonders of National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) transplants.

Schaefer, the son of Joel Schaefer and Loni Fiedler, was diagnosed with Wiskott Aldrich Syndrome, an immune deficiency disease shortly after he was born. The illness occurs in just four of every million boys born in the United States. The median life expectancy is 11 years but bone marrow transplants offer a cure.

Brennan's marrow procedure was done at Fairview University Medical Center in Minneapolis when he was 10 months old. His prognosis is good, and he is receiving physical and speech therapy.

Murphy donated his marrow last December to a 28-year-old man who was dying of Hodgskin's Lymphoma. At last report, the man is recovering.

The odds of finding unrelated marrow matches run as high as 1 in more than 5, million and are called miracle matches. Despite more than 5 million potential donors registered, thousands of patients won't find their miracle match.

Donations and participants are sought for the Renville/Redwood County Marrow Program Fun Day set for Friday, April 30, at the Fairfax American Legion.

People can enroll in the NMDP and enjoy a salad bar, sloppy joes and tacos from 4-8 p.m. A bake sale, silent auction of gift baskets and raffles will be held.

Barb Freitag initiated the local, non-profit program and began fund-raisers after learning about it from her brother. Murphy learned about it while attending a Fairfax blood drive in 1996.

The National Bone Marrow Registry is the world's largest and diverse list of more than 5 million potential volunteer marrow and blood stem cell donors. It accesses marrow, peripheral blood and umbilical cord blood donations.

Murphy got two calls that he may be a marrow match before the miracle match took place. The first call proved not to be a match after more tests. On the second call, the patient didn't live long enough for the donation to take place.

The Renville/Redwood Chapter of the American Red Cross has added more than 370 donors to the NMDP registry. Registration requires a one-time blood test that insurance firms don't pay for because the odds of finding a match are so small.

Those interested in helping with the program can call Barb Freitag in Fairfax at 426-7759. Donations can be sent to Marrow Donor Program, PO Box 22, Fairfax, MN 55332.

For more information, visit www.marrow.org or call 1-800-874-1365.