Reds Employee in Need of Bone Marrow Transplant

[Boss-Hog]

All,

An anonymous member asked if I would post this, and I told him/her I'd be happy to do so.

Redszone Family,

I’m requesting your help for a friend of mine that I work with. Chris Herrell is a sales manager with the Reds, and he has been diagnosed with a rare form of blood cancer called Myelodysplastic Syndrome. The only cure is a bone marrow transplant from a tissue match. Right now, no one in the database of over 10 million people matches Chris.

Tomorrow (Friday) morning at the Reds Hall of Fame, there is a drive hosted for Chris to find a match. Getting tested is easy and pain/needle FREE. All you have to do is swab the inside of your cheek with a kit they provide.

Chris is a father of three, 8 and 2 year old boys, and 5 month old girl they recently adopted. He’s only 39 years old and he needs our help desperately.

Here is a short excerpt from his wife’s recent journal entry on Wednesday night:

“Major changes today. Chris’s counts have crashed. He has the lowest numbers we have ever seen. We had our long transplant meeting with (the Doctor) and the coordinator this afternoon. They have updated Chris’s status in the registry to critical. We are moving to transplant with a less than perfect match. They are concerned he is moving to the devastating form of leukemia we have worried about and we cannot wait any more. The registries are urgently searching for those potential matches that have not responded. They are calling donor family members, they are trying new phone numbers, they are reaching out any possible way they can to try to find them.“

His story and drive information is linked below:

http://www.wcpo.com/dpp/news/region_...e-marrow-match

I thank everyone for their help in a time of serious need.

[leeech86]

I wish there was a way they could extend it to surrounding cities as well. Dayton, Columbus, Indy, Louisville, Lexington.

[bounty37h]

Can't we all get tested to see if we are a match, even if dont live locally? They show some large numbers that don't match, so amg uessing they have moved outside that area and searching nationally? I would be happy to get tested here in NC and see if I am a match that can help out. Worst case, even if not match for him, if we are tested and put in registry we can hopefully help someone out there in need! As a new parent this story touched me to see he has 3 yougn children, and hope he gets a match and transplant to live and enjoy these belssings at home!!! Anyone with any info on process, how to healp, etc, please add!!!

[Boss-Hog]

Originally Posted by bounty37h

Can't we all get tested to see if we are a match, even if dont live locally? They show some large numbers that don't match, so amg uessing they have moved outside that area and searching nationally? I would be happy to get tested here in NC and see if I am a match that can help out. Worst case, even if not match for him, if we are tested and put in registry we can hopefully help someone out there in need! As a new parent this story touched me to see he has 3 yougn children, and hope he gets a match and transplant to live and enjoy these belssings at home!!! Anyone with any info on process, how to healp, etc, please add!!!

I believe you can register for a home kit.

[TOBTTReds]

Here is more info on how to register. They can mail you a free kit to do at home and send in.

http://www.bethematchfoundation.org/...40&pg=personal

[stripedwarrior]

I registered on the website after reading last night. 5 minutes of my time and then wait for a home kit. Hopefully a match can be found for Chris. Horrible that this happens to someone, let alone someone with such a young family. Prayers go out to him and his family.

[Cicero2.0]

Signed up. Waiting for home kit to arrive.

[NebraskaRed]

Any update on this?

[JaxRed]

Some good news.....

http://ramsey.mlblogs.com/2013/03/12...-marrow-donor/

[NebraskaRed]

Originally Posted by JaxRed

Some good news.....

http://ramsey.mlblogs.com/2013/03/12...-marrow-donor/

Excellent news! Thanks for sharing the update. As anyone who has any experience with this sort of thing knows, finding a valid donor is huge, but there is a long road ahead for Chris. Fingers crossed.

[bounty37h]

Awesome news for Chris! Also great news hopefully for the many others around that need this procedure, as surely got a spike in donors from this effort for Chris!! Good job everyone that answered the call!!!