Community Blood Services Holding
Blood/Bone Marrow Drive in Little Ferry
To Help Long-Time Resident John Tronlone

November 30, 2013

�

LITTLE FERRY, NJ - A blood and bone marrow drive is being held with the help of Community Blood Services and its bone marrow registry on Saturday, November 30th to help long-time community member John Tronlone.

John, who is battling acute myeloid leukemia (AML), has needed frequent blood and platelet transfusions and is searching for a life-giving bone marrow stem cell match in hopes of a cure. Every day, thousands of adults and children like John are diagnosed with leukemia, lymphoma, sickle cell anemia and other serious diseases that require many blood or platelet transfusions during treatment and, ultimately, bone marrow transplants as a cure.

The blood drive, which is being coordinated by John�s daughter Colleen to help John and other seriously ill patients, is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on November 30th at Memorial Middle School, 130 Liberty Street; the marrow drive will begin at 10 a.m.

Volunteer blood and platelet donors are asked to schedule their appointments by calling Community Blood Services at 201-251-3703. Whole blood walk-ins are welcome but platelet donors need appointments. Blood donors must be 17-75 years old (16 years old with parental consent) and weigh at least 110 pounds.

John, 63, is a loving husband and father of three and has been an active member of the community for 20 years. He was diagnosed with AML in October and, according to Colleen, the past month has been extremely rough and challenging.

John has been an active member of the community for 20 years, serving on the Little Ferry Board of Education and volunteering with the First Aid Corps and Little Ferry Hook and Ladder. John has also taught religious education to many of the town�s youngsters. He has been director of Little Ferry�s floor hockey program for grades K-3 and coached for the Little Ferry/South Hackensack soccer and baseball programs.

�We are asking for your help so our father can fight this potentially deadly disease,� Colleen said, noting that her father needs frequent blood transfusions in order to keep his red blood cell and platelet counts elevated and is in dire need of a bone marrow transplant.

To join the HLA bone marrow Registry at Community Blood Services, a member of the National Marrow Donor Program�s Be The Match Registry, you must be between the ages of 18 and 44, be willing to donate to any patient in need and meet the health guidelines. Every day, thousands of adults and children like John are diagnosed with leukemia, lymphoma sickle cell anemia and other serious diseases that require bone marrow transplants as a cure, as well as blood or platelet transfusions during.