The Health Education Ministry at the Mt. Olivet Baptist Church in Peekskill is hosting a bone marrow drive Sunday for an 11-year-old Connecticut boy who's battling Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.
Kyle Markes of Stamford, CT had been in remission for a short period of time when the disease reappeared. The return was aggressive.
"Kyle’s only hope for survival is a bone marrow transplant," states a press release from the church. "Kyle’s family has tried [but] they are unable to be a match for him so he must rely on the National Registry of bone marrow donors to save his life."
The process at the two-hour drive will be a quick cheek swab, according to organizers.
“Upon hearing of Kyle’s diagnosis and learning about our treatment options we were surprise to learn that African-Americans are underrepresented on the donor registry and therefore our son is less likely to find a match.” Kyles' mother Jackqueline McLean-Markes said in a statement. “Only 7-percent of African-Americans are likely to find a donor at this time; we need to register more African- Americans to provide greater opportunities for those impacted by blood cancers to find a suitable match."
Mt. Olivet Baptist Church is located at 11 Rev G Franklin Wiggins Plaza in Peekskill. The drive will take place from 1 to 3 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall.
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