The blood drive, this Saturday and Sunday, from
8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Knights of Columbus, St. Mary's Council, Hempstead Avenue, Lynbrook will be held in honor of Chris Markert. He is a Lynbrook store owner, a 43 year-old father of two young girls, nine and 12 years old, and he has leukemia.
"Chris' family has owned Herman's garage on Merrick Road in Lynbrook for 83 years but with Chris' illness at a stage where he is unable to work, they had to fold the business," Dowd told the Herald. "He needs a bone marrow match to save his life."
Dowd explained that there are over two million people on the bone marrow registry, but none match Markert. Dowd has arranged to have bone marrow testing done at the blood drive.
"It will be a small vial of blood taken from a donor to see if it is match to Chris'," said Dowd. The bone marrow testing costs $50 for each person tested. This is usually done at the expense of the family in need of a donor, but Dowd has secured two anonymous donations totaling $10,000 to cover the cost.
Dowd started the blood drive six years ago in an effort to help 16 year-old Katlin Petrou, a Lynbrook High School student suffering from leukemia. With the support of Petrou's family, the annual blood drive has raised over 2,600 pints of blood, $21,000 for leukemia research and added 150 names to the bone marrow registry.
To make an appointment to donate in honor of Chris Markert, or to find out if you can be a blood donor call 1-800-933-BLOOD and reference the K of C Blood Drive.
