Bone marrow registry drive Saturday in Des Plaines

A combined LifeSource blood drive and Be The Match bone marrow registry event will honor two local women battling different forms of leukemia from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 11, at The Society of Danube Swabians, 625 E. Seegers Road, Des Plaines.

The event will co-honor Des Plaines resident Amy Charewicz, 24, and Prospect Heights resident Anni Mayer, who is a Society of Danube Swabians board member. Mayer, a St. Alphonsus Ligouri parishioner and national society youth group leader, has Myelodyplastic Syndrome, a blood cancer that prevents her bone marrow from making enough healthy blood cells. Charewicz has aggressive Acute Myeloblastic Leukemia, a disease that causes her bone marrow to produce abnormal white and red blood cells, as well as platelets.

The Northern Illinois University graduate will receive a stem cell transplant Thursday from a 23-year-old man located by Be the Match at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. "Amy has been fortunate to have what she needs available because others have donated and registered," says Doris Charewicz, her mother. "She wants to 'pay it forward' by increasing awareness of the need for both blood donors and stem cell donors."

Be The Match registrants are limited to ages 18-44 and don't need to preregister. Blood donor walk-ins are welcome, but appointments are preferred at (877) 543-3768 or www.lifesource.org using code 650B.