Bone marrow donor ID drive set

By DEBORAH MOON

article created on: 2010-05-03T00:00:00

Eighteen months ago, Paul Richard Solomon had a head full of reddish brown hair and few worries. Today, his hair is gray and after failing to respond to the three chemotherapy treatments approved for myelogenous leukemia, his main hope rests in finding a bone marrow donor.

At its Day of Empowerment May 16, Jewish Family and Child Service hopes to help that wish come true. In cooperation with the Gift of Life Bone Marrow Foundation, which recruits Jewish donors to the national bone marrow registry, JFCS will conduct a bone marrow donor identification drive.

In addition to Solomon, “Gift of Life is currently working with a mother of three in desperate need of a transplant,” said Shayne Pilpel, recruitment coordinator for Gift of Life.

“Most patients rely on a donor from the same ethnic background,” said Pilpel. “The ideal donor for this woman should be someone of Ashkenazi and Sephardic background. Her father is Sephardic and her mother Ashkenazi.”

While Solomon is also from a Sephardic background, Pilpel said they encourage everyone to be tested since Jewish donors of all backgrounds are in short supply.

Solomon said he has failed to respond to the three front line drugs approved by the FDA for the treatment of CML. The first such drug to treat CML was Gleevac, for which OHSU’s Dr. Brian Drucker last year was the co-recipient of the Lasker-DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award “for the development of molecularly targeted treatments for chronic myeloid leukemia, converting a fatal cancer into a manageable chronic condition.”

“I failed all three,” said Solomon of the three approved drug treatments.

While other drugs are undergoing testing, the FDA has yet to approve any alternate treatments. He said he hopes at least one of those drugs gets through the FDA in time to help him. Without that, he is left with former treatments for CML, which include a bone marrow transplant.

“If nothing else, I’m hoping somebody has some kind of match with me,” said Solomon.

Solomon encourages people to turn out for the Day of Empowerment and to spend five to seven minutes to fill out information and have a cheek swab sent in for testing. There is no charge for testing and there is never a cost to donors.

“Lifecyle means something is going to happen to you or a loved one at sometime,” he said. “You don’t have to be already involved (with illness or disability) to attend this. Attend because you can learn things and give a swab and help spread the word.”

Donor registration involves a simple swab of cells from the inside of the cheek. Donors must be between the ages of 18 and 60 and in general good health.

That age requirement means Solomon’s mother, who is in her 80s, is not a potential donor.

“A lot of Jewish families come from small towns and small shtetls where the Jewish population stayed apart,” said Solomon, commenting on why donors of Jewish descent are more likely to match Jewish patients. “We lost so many people in the Shoah who would have been matches.”

Solomon said that in addition to need for Jewish donors to match Jewish patients, there are many good reasons Jews should join the national bone marrow registry.

“It’s a very Jewish act to help other Jews and to reach out to the world,” he said. “We are commanded to choose life. This (registering as a potential donor) is choosing life for others who have no ability to choose life for themselves. … Choose life or give life at the Day of Empowerment.”

Solomon has served on the boards of numerous Jewish organizations in the Bay area including as a trustee for Commission for the Preservation of Pioneer Jewish Cemeteries and Landmarks of the Magnes Museum in Berkeley, Calif.

“I’ve never lost my relationships with the Bay area organizations,” said Solomon, who has lived in Portland about 12 years.

Presentation schedule

10 to 11 a.m.
“Brain Health: Three Natural & Effective Approaches for Managing Stress” - Greg Nigh, ND
“Advanced Medical Directives: Making your End-of-Life Wishes Known”    - Rabbi Daniel Isaak
“Discovering our Voice Through Images”-Maria Pfifer, My Life Works Today! Lupus Living Network

11 a.m. to noon
“Navigating the Health-Care System”- Jason McNichol PhD., Health Advocacy Solutions
“Caring for a Seriously Ill Child” (interactive discussion) – Bonnie Davis, parent
“End-of-Life Issues: a Jewish Spiritual Perspective”–Rabbi Ariel Stone
“How to Make your Home Safe & Suitable for a Family Member with Special Needs”– Bill Puckett, CAPS certified contractor
“Reflexology for Relaxation and Healing”– Debra MacDougall

noon to 1 p.m.
“Caring for the Caregiver”–Vicki Schmall, author of The Caregiver Helpbook: Powerful Tools for Caregiving
“Why do Bad Things Happen to Good People?”– Erica Goldman, Florence Melton Adult School
“Crossing the Bridge: Pathways to End-of-Life Care”– Jaimie Harper LCSW
“Incorporating Self-Care Practices into your Daily Life”– Dr. Shani Fox
“Living Well as a Family when there is a Chronic Illness or Disability”– Sherry Fishman

1 to 2 p.m.
“Ins & Outs of Hiring Care Providers”– Maria Sampson, MSW, MBA, Stay at Home America
“Mindfulness & Healing” – Yael Schnitzer, LCSW, BC-DMT
“Finding Strength & Solace in the Psalms”–Rabbi Michael Cahana
“Trusts and Estate Planning for Families with Special Needs Children” – Melanie Marmion, J.D., Fitzwater Meyer LLP
“For Men Only: How to Take Care of Yourself to be a Better Caregiver” – Howard Shapiro, Men’s Caregiver Support Group