LDLF Press Release Harlem Luis and Kelsie II 2012

Luis Danvers Leukemia Fund
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 7, 2012 Contact - Sharon Turnage Phone: 1 718-576-8727 Email: sturnage@luisdanversleukemiafund.org President/CEO Ray Diamond Email: rdiamond@luisdanversleukemiafund.org
If you could save a life would you?
If you could save a life would you? Bone Marrow Donor Drive in Honor of Luis, Kelsie, and others 20012 swabs for 2012 Campaign to Raise Awareness Harlem, New York - March 15, 2012 the Luis Danvers Leukemia Fund (LDLF), A Cure For Kelsie (ACFK), is doing a Bone Marrow Donor Drive in Harlem, New York. The event will take place on June 9, 2012 at: MWPHGL - Prince Hall Masonic Temple 454 West 155th Street New York, New York Time: TBD We are asking for you the media to come out and cover this event. Luis Danvers will be there along with his mother Sharon Turnage, the mother of 10 year old Kelsie and the rest of the staff at the LDLF. The goal of the event is to promote, educate, and spread awareness about leukemia, Luis's fight against leukemia, information about the struggles of patients and their families, and becoming a bone marrow donor. Luis Danvers has leukemia. Leukemia is a cancer of the bone marrow and blood. It is characterized by large numbers of abnormal white blood cells that are produced in the bone marrow. This year, approximately 3,000 children will be diagnosed with leukemia. Leukemia has an 80% cure rate so most children will be cured in time. But there are those that will have to receive a bone marrow transplant in order to survive. Kelsie has Sickle Cell Anemia (Sickle Cell SS). Sickle Cell Anemia is an inherited blood disorder characterized by defective hemoglobin (a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen). Normal hemoglobin cells are smooth, round, flexible, and can move easily through blood vessels to carry oxygen throughout the body. Sickle hemoglobin cells are stiff, sticky, and form into the shape of a sickle. They tend to cluster causing blockages within blood vesselsleading to a lack of blood & oxygen delivery to vital organs, muscles, and tissue. There is an unprecedented need to find Bone Marrow donors for those suffering from leukemia, sickle cell, and other blood related illnesses. Each year approximately 10,000 patients (adults and children) need a bone marrow transplant in order to survive. The problem is that only 4 out of 10 actually find a match. The numbers are even lower for minorities at 1 out of 10. So the LDLF realized that there was definitely a need to do something about this crisis.
Luis Danvers Leukemia Fund Primary Business Address P.O. Box# 340355 Rochdale Village, N.Y. 11434 Phone: (516) 284-8310 Fax: (516) 284-8310 Website: http://luisdanversleukemiafund.org Email: info@luisdanversleukemiafund.org
Staff New York Sharon Turnage

sturnage@luisdanversleukemiafund.org
Ray Diamond
rdiamond@luisdanversleukemiafund.org
Dante Wright
dwright@luisdanversleukemiafund.org
Keith Bey
keithbey@luisdanversleukemiafund.org
Virginia Kwinna Stoney-Carter

kcarter@luisdanversleukemiafund.org
Pennsylvania Amber Schon-Epps

aschon@luisdanversleukemiafund.org
Chicago Tiffany Lynn Schad

tschad@luisdanversleukemiafund.org
New Jersey Renee Compton-Szablewski

rcompton@luisdanversleukemiafund.org
Georgia Essie Smith

esmith@luisdanversleukemiafund.org
California Nicole Carroll

ncarroll@luisdanversleukemiafund.org
Florida Carmen Illeana Rexach

crexach@luisdanversleukemiafund.org
Tyler Nicole Foundation A 501c-3 Not For Profit Organization
To help shed light on the enormity of the situation the LDLF started a campaign last year called "GIVE THANKS, GIVE HOPE". The goal of the campaign was to raise awareness across the country by speaking to the public at large about leukemia. We traveled the country making the public aware about how leukemia affects the patient and their families. We also put together 25+ successful Bone Marrow Donor Drives registering over 1500 people. Our goal was to make the public aware about the enormity of the situation caused by leukemia. We wanted to help people have a better understanding about the disease and the treatment process that the patients face. We also let the public know about what they can do to help families in crisis. Now we have launched a new campaign initiative for 2012 called 20012 swabs for 2012 the goal of this campaign is to register 20012 new potential bone marrow donors to the registry. This is being done in hopes of ensuring more patients receive their life-saving bone marrow match. We are traveling the country visiting twice the number of states as we did last year in hopes that everyone across the nation understands how crucial it is that we build the registry. Ultimately we hope they swab. It is important that we increase the number of potential donors on the registry. Especially when it comes to minorities, that makes up a combined 20% of the registry. African Americans make up about 7% of the registry, Hispanics make up about 8% mixed race makes up about 3%, which lowers their chances of finding a match. The need for minorities to register and get swabbed is crucial. A person needing a Bone Marrow transplant needs to receive marrow from someone whos tissue type is close to his/her own. Tissue types are inherited, similar to hair an eye color. It is more likely that the recipient will find a suitable donor in a brother or sister. This however happens only 25 to 30 percent of the time. If a family member doesn't match the recipient then you must look outside the family. So that is why our new campaign "20012 swabs for 2012" is so important. It will affect the lives of so many in need with the help and support of all of you. The first stop on the campaign is Harlem, NY but eventually the nation. For more information about becoming a bone marrow donor go to the LDLFs website. There you will find all the information about leukemia and becoming a bone marrow donor. You can also register to become a bone marrow donor right on the site.

Ray Diamond
Dante Wright
Keith Bey




Georgia Essie Smith



Tyler Nicole Foundation A 501c-3 Not For Profit Organization
Reference Links:
Luis Danvers Leukemia Fund Website: www.luisdanversleukemiafund,org A Cure For Kelsie: http://www.facebook.com/ACureforKelsie Luis Danvers P.S.A for DKMS: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4j9VAGxk_ys Luis Danvers and MTV star Andrew Jenks: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZWGG2NRYOE
Media:
Daily News http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/swabbed-america-boy-effort-pal-bone-marrow-transplant-article1.1037177 NY 1 http://origin.ny1.com/content/top_stories/130059/bone-marrow-drive-to-be-held-in-jamaica News 1 (New York) http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fqueens.ny1.com%2Fcontent%2Ftop_stories%2F13 0043%2Fqueens-mother-hopes-to-find-bone-marrow-match-for-ailingson%3Fr%3D4503480161&h=96ba5 Fox 5 New (New York ) http://www.myfoxny.com/dpp/news/local_news/queens/queens-boy-fighting-rare-leukemia-20101210 Thisis50.com http://www.thisis50.com/profiles/blog/show?id=784568%3ABlogPost%3A22675141 Daily News http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/swabbed-america-boy-effort-pal-bone-marrow-transplant-article1.1037177 Jamaica Times http://www.yournabe.com/articles/2011/06/23/jamaica/jamaica_times/news/jt_st_albans_drive_20110623 .txt James River Journal http://jamesriverjournal.com/component/content/article/26-press-releases/14891-get-swabbed-bonemarrow-donor-drive-in-honor-of-5yr-old-luis-danvers.html http://www.jamesriverjournal.com/home/26-press-releases/14891-get-swabbed-bone-marrow-donordrive-in-honor-of-5yr-old-luis-danvers.html The Queens Chronicle http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20452609&BRD=2731&PAG=461&dept_id=574905&rfi= %2F%27 http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.zwire.com%2Fsite%2Findex.cfm%3Fnewsid %3D20451521%26BRD%3D2731%26PAG%3D461%26dept_id%3D574908%26rfi%3D8&h=96ba5 YourNabe.com http://yournabe.com/articles/2010/12/13/laurelton_times/news/lt_bone_marrow_drive_20101209.txt

Ray Diamond
Dante Wright
Keith Bey




Georgia Essie Smith



- END Tyler Nicole Foundation A 501c-3 Not For Profit Organization

LDLF Press Release Harlem Luis and Kelsie II 2012

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LDLF Press Release Harlem Luis and Kelsie II 2012

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Luis Danvers Leukemia Fund

If you could save a life would you?

Staff New York Sharon Turnage

Virginia Kwinna Stoney-Carter

Pennsylvania Amber Schon-Epps

Chicago Tiffany Lynn Schad

New Jersey Renee Compton-Szablewski

Georgia Essie Smith

California Nicole Carroll

Florida Carmen Illeana Rexach

Tyler Nicole Foundation A 501c-3 Not For Profit Organization

Luis Danvers Leukemia Fund

If you could save a life would you?

Staff New York Sharon Turnage

Virginia Kwinna Stoney-Carter

Pennsylvania Amber Schon-Epps

Chicago Tiffany Lynn Schad

New Jersey Renee Compton-Szablewski

Georgia Essie Smith

California Nicole Carroll

Florida Carmen Illeana Rexach

Tyler Nicole Foundation A 501c-3 Not For Profit Organization

Luis Danvers Leukemia Fund

Staff New York Sharon Turnage

Virginia Kwinna Stoney-Carter

Pennsylvania Amber Schon-Epps

Chicago Tiffany Lynn Schad

New Jersey Renee Compton-Szablewski

Georgia Essie Smith

California Nicole Carroll

Florida Carmen Illeana Rexach

- END Tyler Nicole Foundation A 501c-3 Not For Profit Organization

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