Another Way to Make a Difference

David graduated with one of my daughters and, as you can see, was an avid runner. Count your blessings, people.

This is circulating in e-mails and I thought I'd post as both a public service and as a reminder that we should never take our health for granted.

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SRHS Grad Needs Bone Marrow Match

David Blomgren is a 2005 Scripps Ranch High School graduate who is now majoring in Communications at Cal State Long Beach. Growing up as a teenager in Scripps Ranch, David was never too busy to stop what he was doing to wave to neighbors as they drove by. David and his brother Dan were both active in sports, especially the cross country running team or should we say the cross country running family. David often talks about how he misses the friendships of his teammates and the entire coaching staff while attending Scripps Ranch High.

Unfortunately, David was recently diagnosed with Aplastic Anemia, a life-threatening and rare bone marrow disorder. This illness impedes David from primarily producing his own platelets and leaves him in a very vulnerable state. David requires frequent platelet transfusions and ongoing treatment. Important to note....the only cure for Aplastic Anemia is a bone marrow transplant.

David's family and friends are urging you to help make a difference in David's life and others who have recently been diagnosed with Aplastic Anemia. The schools that David attended as a student in Scripps Ranch have generously offered their sites to host three opportunities for people to come in and donate blood and / or join the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP).

They are:

Sunday, April 1st at Dingeman Elementary 11840 Scripps Creek Dr. San Diego CA, 92131 / Canyon Springs Church, 10 am - 3 pm (blood drive only)

Tuesday, April 17th at Marshall Middle School, 11778 CYPRESS CANYON RD SAN DIEGO, CA 92131 2 - 7 pm (blood drive / bone marrow registry)

Tuesday, June 5th at Scripps Ranch High School, 10410 TREENA ST SAN DIEGO, CA 92131 8 am - 2:30 pm (blood drive / bone marrow registry)

The San Diego Blood Bank's Stem Cell Donor Center will be offering free registration onto the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP). It takes about ten minutes and 4 cheek swabs to register. For more information call (619) 400 - 8268.

Below are the basic requirements to join the National Marrow Donor Programs bone marrow registry. You may qualify to be a marrow or blood stem cell donor if you:

* Are between the ages of 18 and 60
* Have no history of asthma, cancer, diabetes, heart or circulatory disease
* Are within 20% of the ideal weight for your height and age set by theNMDP
* Are willing to donate to anyone who needs a transplant

Anyone interested in making an appointment for any of the above drives can call 1-800-4-MYSDBB or log on to www.sandiegobloodbank.org. Anyone not able to make these particular drives, but who still wish to donate blood or platelets in David's name, can stop by any San Diego Blood Bank drive or any of the Blood Centers in San Diego and give them David's code DB10. Donations made in David's name will go towards credit to David's account.