FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Join Marrow Registry Festival Sundiata

Seattle families hope for a lifesaving marrow match

FEBRUARY 16, 2002 — Three Seattle area people of diverse ethnic backgrounds need a marrow transplant, but have not found a matching donor. You can help this weekend by joining the marrow registry at Festival Sundiata.

• What: Puget Sound Blood Center Marrow Registration Drive
• When: Saturday and Sunday – noon to 6 p.m., Monday – noon to 4 p.m.
• Where: Seattle Center House

The drive is being held in honor of Nicole Howard, the four-year-old daughter of a Seattle Police detective; Linda Lyons, a 27-year-old teacher from Shoreline; and Jerry Brown, a 34-year-old U.S. Marine veteran from Redmond. They all are battling leukemia and require a lifesaving marrow transplant. Their ethnicities – Nicole is half Asian, Linda is Korean and Jerry is African American – have made it especially difficult to find a match because few on the national marrow registry are people of color.

For more information, call the Puget Sound Blood Center at (206) 292-1897.

To learn more about Nicole, Linda and Jerry, visit their websites:

• www.helpnicole.org
• www.savinglinda.org
• www.savejerry.org

###