Michigan Marrow Walk & Fun Run
DATE: 8/11/2018|Westland, MI
Be The Match North Central is excited to host the 2018 Michigan Marrow 5K that unites communities across Michigan in support of helping patients in need of a bone marrow transplant. With your support in fundraising as an individual or team, you help more patients afford transplant, add potential marrow donors to the Be The Match Registry®, and make more life-saving research possible.
Michigan Marrow 5K is an event for people of all ages and fitness levels. Take the first step by registering for the Michigan Marrow 5K.
Proceeds from this event will benefit Be The Match..
HELP US REACH OUR GOAL: $30,000.00
Give Now
$2,140.00 Raised
Stories of Hope
Kyle
When four-year-old Kyle was diagnosed with severe aplastic anemia, his parents, David and Angela, knew their donor search would be complicated by his half Caucasian and half Chinese ethnicity.
The family turned to Be The Match and Kyle
received his life-saving marrow transplant.
For David and Angela, watching their son fight his illness, go through a bone marrow transplant and now be able to focus on his passion for fishing and playing with his little sister, Lily, has been an incredible journey.
Their experience came full circle when Kyle was able to meet his donor, Lt. Segundo. When they met, the Lieutenant was so moved by Kyle’s bravery that he gave the young boy his Purple Heart, earned during one of his three tours of duty in Iraq as a medic.
Today, the families stay in close contact – and even vacation together.
Liz
Elizabeth (Liz) is a first year medical student at Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine. Not a short four years ago she was a BMT recipient.
Her illnesses began when she was just a month old and spent four days in the hospital. That was only the beginning of many illnesses through the years. At age five she was diagnosed with idiopathic thrombopenia, low platelets. After many illnesses and life threatening experiences (shingles, pancreatitis, pneumonia, spleen removal) throughout childhood and young adulthood her doctor recommended a specialist in Cincinnati.
Meanwhile she graduated in April of 2013, got engaged in July and was diagnosed in August with what her Immunologist in Cincinnati thought was the beginning stages of aplastic anemia. Her life would be put on hold. While trying to plan a wedding and get ready to apply for medical school, she prepared for the biggest fight of her life.
Her Immunologist at Cincinnati Children’s recommended a bone marrow transplant. So began her journey with Be The Match, searching for her life-saving donor and recruiting potential donors for others. By God’s grace she had 50 matches and 10 were very good matches. Of those 10, one was a perfect match—a 26-year-old man. She received his cells on January 30, 2014. Her new “birthday” coincided with her sister’s birthday so her family made the infusion a celebration day and all wore Red Wing shirts. Her family and friends at home wore their Red Wing Shirts and posted their pictures online in support. Liz was out of the hospital in 12 days!
Liz was married on May 24, 2014 and a year later was working. Just two years later she was able to apply to med school!
According to Liz, “My hero is Alejandro from Germany! We are now family and forever connected. Be The Match is a lifesaving organization and I wouldn’t be here without this organization.”
