Are You Willing to Save Someone's Life?
Are you willing to save someone’s life?
By Janet Ward Black
jwblack@wardblacklaw.com
At our September bar meeting, you’ll get an opportunity to offer to do just that!
Senior Superior Court Judge Carl Fox of Chapel Hill is suffering from blood cancer. His best chance to live is a bone marrow transplant.
Lawyers, staff, court personnel, and other good people from across North Carolina have been swabbing their cheeks to “Save the Fox,” registering to see if they are a match for Judge Fox or others with blood cancers. Each year, more than 24,000 children and adults in the U.S. need bone marrow to treat their cancer, such as leukemia and lymphoma. Only about 30% of blood cancer patients have a family member who is a match. About 70% have to look to volunteers, like us, for a match.
Three minutes, at most, is all it takes to register– a cotton swab to your cheeks and a simple form. Even if you aren’t a match for Judge Fox, you might be the one who can save another person’s life.
Judge Fox was the first African-American District Attorney in North Carolina. Since 2005, he has been the Senior Superior Court Judge in Orange County.
Over 75 percent of bone marrow transplants these days require only a blood donation from the matching donor, who remains anonymous. Find out more at www.deletebloodcancer.org .
Can you qualify to swab? Yes, as long as you are in good health and between 18 and 55 years of age.
Members of the Health Committee of the GBA will be in the foyer of the Empire Room from 10 to 2 on the day of our lunch meeting, Thursday, September 17th. Please come and bring friends, family and coworkers to register. You could be the one to “Save the Fox.”
Contact Health Committee Chair Martha Peddrick (jpeddrick@jplegal.net) for more information or to arrange a swabbing event at your firm or other locale.
