Bone marrow drive for HHS graduate to be held at community center

A bone marrow drive will be held at Homewood Community Center on Aug. 23 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. 

The drive will benefit Brandi Lewis and her non-profit Brandi's Blessings. The organization will team up with Be The Match to host the drive.

Lewis is a 2007 graduate of Homewood High School and was diagnosed with Aplastic Anemia in October of 2008. She was in remissions for six years, but now needs a bone marrow transplant to help save her life. 

Lewis and others need a matching tissue type, not a blood match type. Tissue types are inherited and patients are most likely to match someone who shares their ancestry. African Americans have the lowest offs of finding a match compared to all other populations and more African American donors are needed to save lives. 

To join Be The Match Registry, donors must:

1. Be between the ages of 18 and 44.

2. Be in general good health.

3. Be willing to donate to any patient you may match in the future.

For more information, visit brandisblessings.org or contact Rachel Harris at rharris@nmdp.org or call 552-9371.

-Submitted by Brandi Lewis