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Photo: Courtesy of Delete Blood Cancer DKMS
Yesterday, Owen Hogan rang the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange. At four years old, he is the youngest person to do so.
Hogan and his parents were at the New York Stock Exchange to raise awareness for the need for bone marrow donors. He is a blood cancer survivor who was saved by a bone marrow transplant two years ago. Being diagnosed with Aplastic Anemia, Hogan’s body was unable to produce new red blood cells.
“The situation was so dire that he needed a bone marrow transplant to survive. Thanks to some stranger’s generosity, they donated their bone marrow and saved Owen’s life,” explains Hogan’s father, Tim, to Delete Blood Cancer.
Tim got in touch with Delete Blood Cancer DKMS communications associate Jack Kirkland who, after hearing the family’s situation, began to put out bone marrow donor drives in order to help.
Though 30 percent of patients can receive from a donor in their family, 70 percent have to rely on other donors to supply blood or bone marrow. Registering to become a donor is very user-friendly and many people are eligible. People can become potential bone marrow donors if they are between the ages of 18 and 55, in good health, live in the United States, are at least 4′ 10” and weigh 110 pounds.
It is Delete Blood Cancer DKMS’ mission to create a network of potential donors so that those who are in need of one can find them much faster. Signing up to become a donor makes it possible for patients like Hogan to get the help that they need.
If you are interested in signing up as a potential bone marrow, you can do so online by visiting deletebloodcancer.org/register. Alternatively, Delete Blood Cancer DKMS has their annual Blood Ball this Thursday, Oct. 29th and a few tickets are still available to purchase by visiting thebloodball.org. All proceeds from the event go towards registering more potential bone marrow donors.
-by Johanna Silver