Randallstown Woman Searching for Bone Marrow Donor

Update

Advocates and friends of people suffering from leukemia searched for possible bone marrow donors on Saturday afternoon. 

Shelia Ball was at the Randallstown Community Center urging people who were playing basketball or just hanging out at the Center to get the painless bone marrow test.  She was hoping for a match for her friend in need. 

Ball wants to find a match that could save the life of her longtime friend, Jennifer Jones Austin. The prominent New York attorney and mother of two was diagnosed with leukemia and now needs a bone marrow transplant.

All it takes is a simple swab of the mouth to find out if you can save someone's life. 

Long time bone marrow activist Rocky Twyman, from Rockville, promised a dying friend that he would work to save lives... and says that this is the perfect way to celebrate the true meaning of the holidays. 

Original Story

A Randallstown woman is hoping for a Christmas miracle - one that could save the life of her longtime friend.  ABC2 News Joce Sterman has more on the efforts she's making to find the person whose bone marrow could be the perfect holiday gift.

Shelia Ball may have plenty of gifts stacked beneath her tree, but she wants something far greater than a simple present this year.  She tells ABC2, "I don't want anything but for Jennifer to find a match."

Ball wants to find a match that could mean the difference between life and death for her longtime friend, Jennifer Jones Austin.  The prominent New York attorney and mother of two was diagnosed with leukemia and now needs a bone marrow transplant.  When her family and the national registry turned up no matches, friends like Ball started looking elsewhere.  She says, "I just want to do everything I can to save Jennifer.  And from what I understand her chances of surviving are very slim unless we find a match."

And because Austin likely needs a donor of the same race, Ball has been reaching out to members of Baltimore's black community, organizing bone marrow drives.  She’s hoping a simple cheek swab will put a potential lifesaver squarely in Austin’s path.

Getting a bone marrow match is tough enough, but the odds are stacked even higher against Jennifer.  That's because far fewer African-Americans have joined on the registry.  Nadya Dutchin with the be the Match Marrow Registry explains, "There are 515,000 African-Americans on the registry and there are 5,000,000 Caucasians on the registry, so there's a huge disparity."

But activists, including Rocky Twyman, are hoping stories like Jen's will change that.  He believes a personal connection will compel more people to sign up as donors, "You may be the person who saves her life or the life of some other Baltimorean that needs help.  And it's the perfect way to celebrate Christmas."

And it’s the perfect way to celebrate a woman whose loved ones don't want to see her life cut short.  Ball is hoping the generosity of the season will carry on...and be the key to saving Austin's life.  She says, "If she could find a match, this would be the perfect Christmas gift."

Ball has organized several bone marrow registry drives.  The first will be held this Saturday (12/26/09) from 11am to 3pm at the Randallstown Community Center on Resource Drive.  Potential donors must be between the age of 18 and 60, be willing to donate to any patient in need and meet certain health guidelines.