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Important: Please Respond as Requested.
It has come to my attention there is a lack of awareness
about the National Marrow Donor Program. A group called Amy's Army is
attempting to educate the public using the Oprah Show as it's platform.
Since this directly effects Matthew, I am posting the following letter and
asking you to respond by email to the Oprah Show. Thank you for your
support.
Dear Army,
I am writing to you because one of the biggest
lessons we have learned in our journey these past 18 months is how
important it is to raise awareness and educate the public about the
National Marrow Donor Program. Most people don't know it is something
they can do and that being tested is as simple as giving a small vial of
blood. With 30,000 patients out there every year searching for a donor
and 70% of them needing to turn towards the marrow registry. We need to
constantly increase the number of donors to increase potential
matches for patients like Amy with leukemia, and others with aplastic
anemia, sickle cell anemia and other life threatening blood related
diseases.
Here is where you can help. One of our supporters
would love to see us get on the Oprah show. Not just for Amy, but to
raise awareness for all the patients looking for their marrow donor.
Oprah reaches an incredible audience and has the power to motivate and
move people into action. Statistics speak for themselves...5 million on
the Registry since 1987. Over the past 18 years...20,000
unrelated transplants performed yet 30,000 looking each year.
The statistics are against finding the match. The more donors we get
registered the better the odds of transplant and saving lives.
The plan is to have everyone we know and
everyone you know...write a brief email to the show and encourage
her to do a program about the importance of the National Marrow
Program and educating the public. You can mention Amy's Army as an
example of a small group trying to find a donor for Amy and helping
others in the process. Refer her to the website (www.amysarmy.org)
You can cite any of the above statistics. A paragraph is all that is
needed. We want them to sit up and take notice. If 1000 emails were
received the first week in April, that would be something for them to
think about! Won't you please help us help so many in need. Just
click on this link...
http://www.oprah.com/email/reach/email_showideas.jhtml and
submit the idea for a show on The National Bone Marrow Donor
Program. Your help is greatly appreciated. If we all target our
suggestions for the first week in April, we could have a huge
impact. Please forward this email to everyone you know and let's
continue to make a difference! Thank you! Lisa
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Many people have offered to support the Kocher family at
this time. If you would like to participate in any way, please contact any of the
people listed here.
"You have no idea how
blessed we feel to know people are this concerned about Matthew."
[Lori
Kocher]
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Matthew Kocher
