A Thousand Paper Cranes

　

I NEED YOUR HELP!!!!!!

If you would like to help me. I would love to put together a team to walk with for a little girl who has leukemia. She lives in Bucklin, KS. Please Check out this website http://www.5kforkenna.com/
 I was just 10 years old, when I became familiar with the word cancer. I attended Grade School at Sunnyside Elementary in Dodge City, KS. A little boy I had grown up with was diagnosed with a brain tumor. As if that wasn’t hard enough to understand, a little girl was diagnosed with Leukemia. I was very good friends with both children. It was so unbelievable that in one school we had 2 cancer patients. It was even more unbelievable that we had to begin the discussions of Cancer at such a young age.
Curtis was the little boy with a brain tumor. I believe he still resides in Dodge City today. I was friends with him, but we weren’t as close as Jenny and I. I think that’s mainly because he has no interest in Barbie Dolls and “girl things.” Jenny & my mother became very close. My mother drew her blood on a near daily basis. Because my mother and Jenny’s relationship grew our families became very close.
At school, our teachers had us read a book called “A Thousand Paper Cranes.” It is a book about a little girl who has leukemia. According to Japanese legend, if she completes 1000 paper cranes she can have a wish. Her wish will be to live, but she is too weak to fold all of the paper cranes. If you haven’t read this book you really should. It doesn’t take very long to get through - and its very inspirational.
March 4, 1996 at the all too young age of 9 years old. I lost a very good friend. I don’t think I will ever forget that date. It was a Monday, I was taking a bath, and my mom came into the bathroom sobbing. She told me to hurry out and to quickly get dressed. I did, I think I already had a suspicion but I wasn’t sure. My mom told me before I left for school that Jenny had passes away in the night. I was so upset. I still don’t understand.
I was reading a magazine today and I came across an organization called “Be the match.” Be the Match is a National Marrow Donor Program. Shaq is a spokesperson for this organization. His message “Do something Big, Bigger then life.” His encouragement: Register to be a donor. It is thought that a person only has a 1 in 100,000 people chance to be matched to a donor if no one in their family matches. I am considering ordering the free donor match kit and sending it back. I have a lot of questions - most importantly “If I donate to someone in need, and one of my children or other family members need a my marrow and I am also a match for them can I donate more than once?’ I think I can, and if I can I am definitely going to send my DNA into the possible donor pool. it’s a long shot - but if I was a match it would be amazing to be able to give someone a second chance at life. I donate blood whenever possible, but I would like to commit myself to helping save a life by donating my marrow. I will definitely keep you updated on the decision that I could make in the future.

In the mean time, you should visit

　
　

Let me know ASAP if you would like to join me in the 1 mile fun run/walk. We can do it together!!

www.marrow.org it is a very interesting website. You don’t have to make any commitments so take your time & browse around a little bit.