By MADDY VITALE
When a member of Sea Isle City’s VFW Post 1963 Auxiliary approached Auxiliary President Patti Lloyd and told her about a health crisis and said she needed help, Lloyd knew she had to do something.
About a month ago the member told Lloyd that she was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia, a cancer of the blood and bone marrow.
“This is the first time one of our members reached out for something like this,” Lloyd said in an interview Monday. “Apparently, she went to the doctor’s office for routine bloodwork and was sent to the emergency room.”
The Auxiliary member, whom Lloyd did not name out of respect for her friend as well as health privacy laws, ended up in the hospital for tests, which confirmed her diagnosis.
“She doesn’t have grown children, so she reached out to us,” Lloyd said, noting that there wasn’t anyone in the woman’s immediate family who could be a potential match.
Lloyd put an appeal on the Auxiliary’s Facebook page for people to have their bone marrow tested to see if they could be a match for the woman or for another person in need of bone marrow.
“We need your help and prayers. One of our members has suddenly become ill and needs a Bone Marrow Transplant. If you or anyone you know between the ages of 18 and 35 years old would be willing to be tested, which is a mouth swab kit that will be mailed to you, and donate. It would be a great blessing! Please message us through our Facebook page as soon as possible if you or anyone you know can help,” the appeal says.
Lloyd said that the people may not be a match for the Auxiliary member, but it may help someone else.
“If you can’t help this particular person out, you might be able to help someone else out,” Lloyd emphasized.
And by putting the information out there, it helps to make others aware that there are many people in need. The first step is to ask for help, she said.
“I want everyone to be aware that people need help. Some people are too proud, for whatever reason, to reach out,” Lloyd said. “Some people don’t feel comfortable reaching out. This particular person did reach out. I think it takes a strong person to realize they need help.”
To see if you can be a match to donate bone marrow of blood stem cells, click this link:
For more information visit the VFW Post 1963 on Facebook or go to the website at vfwauxiliary1963.com.
