Hundreds Turnout For Bone Marrow Drive

Update

More than 200 people came to St. Therese Lisieux Catholic Church on Saturday and registered to be a bone marrow donar in hopes of helping 19-year-old Kyle Nicholson find a match.

Nicholson, a Shelby Township native, diagnosed with Leukemia earlier this year.

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A bone marrow drive will be held April 30 at St. Therese Lisieux Catholic Church to help find a match for a 19-year-old Shelby Township boy who was diagnosed with Leukemia.

Kyle Nicholson’s friends and family, who call themselves “Team Kyle” have partnered with DKMS, which is the largest bone marrow donor center in the world, to help find a match for Nicholson.

The drive will be at the church from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

In January, Nicholson, a freshman at Central Michigan University, was diagnosed with Acute Myeloblastic Leukemia (AML).

“I didn’t know what was going on,” said Nicholson. “I was scared and nervous because no one was telling me anything. But I’ve been able to stay strong by having faith and receiving so much support from family, friends, and the community.”

Nicholson has been at U-M C. S. Mott Children’s Hospital since February and has undergone two rounds of chemotherapy and now sports a shaved head.

At 6 foot 5, Nicholson, who is an athlete, tries to stay active through weightlifting riding an exercise bike.

Doctors said a bone marrow transplant is Nicholson’s only chance of survival.

According to DKMS, only four out of 10 patients are lucky enough to receive a transplant.

To register to be a donor, you must be between 18 and 55 and in good general health. At the donor drive, your cheek will be swabbed. Then you will be registered with DKMS, listed on the Be the Match Registry and available to be matched to any patient in need of a bone marrow transplant.

DKMS is funded 100 percent though financial contributions.

For more information about DKMS and to learn more about registering as a bone marrow donor, please visit www.getswabbed.org.