Media Advisory

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Wednesday, June 3, 2015

WHAT

A retired healthcare provider who spent nearly three decades serving Contra Costa County residents needs our help.

Contra Costa Regional Medical Center (CCRMC) will host a bone marrow registry drive in search of a donor for Zar Anderson, a retired respiratory therapist who is battling leukemia.

Participants will have their cheek swabbed and the screening results entered into the Be The Match Registry, maintained by the nonprofit National Marrow Donor Program to find donors for people with blood cancers and other marrow diseases.

Anyone who can donate is encouraged to be tested. A potential donor could match one of the thousands of patients diagnosed each year with life-threatening diseases such as leukemia and lymphoma, even if they are not a match for Zar.

WHO:

The drive seeks donors from ages 18 to 44

WHEN:

10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesday, June 9

WHERE:

Contra Costa Regional Medical Center, 2500 Alhambra Ave., Martinez, at the Farmers' Market in front of the main entrance.

WHY:

Zar, a two-time cancer survivor, worked as a night-shift respiratory therapist at CCRMC for nearly 30 years and continued to work with patients on weekends after her retirement.

But Zar's leukemia has returned, and she needs chemotherapy, blood transfusions and a bone marrow transplant. She is not a match for anyone in her family or currently on the Be The Match Registry, so more potential donors are sought for screening.

Be The Match connects patients with their donor matches for life-saving marrow or umbilical cord blood transplants, and provides patients and their families one-on-one support, education, and guidance before, during and after transplant.

To learn more or to get involved, contact Hannah Jacobs at 510-381-3963 or hannah.jacobs@nmdp.org, or visit bethematchfoundation.org/goto/zar.

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