2016 Bone Marrow Drive

Nov 112016
 

2016 Bone Marrow DriveFor a number of years now One Human Community held free clothing and free toys giveaways before Christmas. This year, Avo and the guys of One Human Community teamed up with the staff of Anything L.A. Magazine and Be The Match® (National Marrow Donor Program®) to save a life. Together, we organized Bone Marrow Drive for Adam Krief.

The cause was important. Did you know that there is a cure for some types of blood cancer? Did you know that the cure – in some cases, not all – is as little as stem cells extracted from a donor’s blood?! We didn’t. (The compatibility test involves a swab of inside cheek: just saliva! The life-saving act involves a little more than a blood donation.)

We were moved to action by the plight of a young man, Los Angeles husband and father of three small children (Adam Krief) who was diagnosed with a rare and terminal type of blood cancer following a persistent… leg pain! His health was declining fast and finding a matching donor was then – an unfortunately, remains – a priority.

2016 Bone Marrow Drive

Test Kits

KTLA covered our 2016 Bone Marrow Drive

KTLA covered our 2016 Bone Marrow Drive

The words “One Human Community” have many meanings. We became involved with Adam’s cause for two reasons:

  1. No one should be allowed to die due to the lack of a substance we all have enough of to spare.
  2. We all believe in environmental preservation today. One of its corner stones is using renewable resources, human blood is a renewable resource.

We are One Human Community caring for and about one another. Pain, illness, hunger or poverty feels exactly the same to anyone. Our mission is to relieve and prevent human suffering. This time, we felt that trying to save one person’s life was of utmost importance. In 2017 our undivided attention will go to books and technology that facilitates learning.

KTLA covered our 2016 Bone Marrow Drive

From the left: Be The Match Representative, KTLA reporter and OHC representative

 2016 Bone Marrow Drive  November 11, 2016  Posted by  Special Events Tagged with: , , , , , , ,  No Responses »

We Have The Power To Save A Life

Aug 262016
 

Some people still believe that we’re divided by countries, traditions, politics, religion, etc. The truth is, we are not. We are all human, have only one life to live, we are all powerful as well as vulnerable and have very similar dreams. Everybody wants to be safe, healthy, loved, useful and successful, have family and friends. No matter what you’ve heard: we are One Human Community. The awareness that “the other” is only a variation of you changes perspective on life.

Now picture this: a young man (31) in Los Angeles. Graduated from the University of Southern California with a degree in communication. Married the girl of his dreams. They are happy together. They have three small children. The future has barely begun.

Adam Krief And Family

Adam Krief And Family in happier times

They have plenty of work to do, earn a living, raise their children, milestones to celebrate, later: parents to take care of, legacy to build… Right? It would be, except that life threw a monkey wrench into their plans.

Young and strong, Adam Krief was diagnosed with an aggressive type of blood cancer just last month. He is deteriorating quickly. His time is limited. His only hope: finding a matching bone marrow donor, QUICKLY. (Adam is currently undergoing chemotherapy: it isn’t a treatment or a cure, but an emergency measure to keep him alive until a matching donor is found.)

WHAT’S INVOLVED IN TESTING TO BECOME A DONOR:
Nothing more than a cotton swab! Go to BeTheMatch.org and sign up. They’ll send you a packet with a cotton swab, you just rub it inside your mouth and send back your saliva sample in a prepaid envelope.

WHAT’S INVOLVED IF YOU ARE A MATCH:
Not much more than a specialized blood donation.

I’m not a medical doctor, but to the best of my understanding: there is no pain, no health risk, no surgery. If you’re not a match: you’ll give a drop of your saliva for compatibility testing. If you are a match: you’ll donate blood.

Adam Krief Before His IllnessI don’t know if you’re a match for Adam Krief. Once you register to be a bone marrow donor, you may have the opportunity to save another – just as precious! – life. If you are, you’ll save a life and gain close friends for life.

I started by saying that we are One Human Community. Today Adam’s life is on the line. Tomorrow it may be yours, mine, or someone we love. If it was me, I would LOVE to know that there are people out there who care. Wouldn’t you?

Adam Krief’s situation is serious and URGENT. Let’s get tested! A little less saliva won’t make us any less than we are. A blood donation won’t leave us with a blood shortage: blood gets naturally replenished. The sacrifice involved won’t diminish us in any way. The gift we can give by sharing our own “natural resources” (nothing more some saliva and blood) have the power to save lives!

UPDATE!

Thanks To All Who Made Anything L.A. Magazine’s Marrow Drive For Adam Krief A Success!
Learn more about the test and the donation process
The SFV Marrow Drive Is Over, But You Still Can Help!
Support the efforts of Hope 4 Adam!

URGENT!!! If you can’t – or don’t want to – get tested, spread this message: nothing in this post is copyrighted, help yourself and spread the word! Let’s save Adam!

For the record: the video as well as the pictures are properties of Los Angeles CBS News.

 We Have The Power To Save A Life  August 26, 2016  Posted by  News Tagged with: , , , , , , ,  No Responses »