New Hope Baptist Church, located at the corner of U.S. 441 and Old Kings Bridge Road, will hold a special blood drive Thursday.
The drive, from 2:00 to 8 p.m., will honor Todd Booth, a Nicholson resident who was scheduled today (Wednesday) to undergo a bone marrow transplant in his fight against myelodysplasia, a pre-leukemia disease.
In his yearlong fight, Booth, 44, has received more than 30 pints of blood from the American Red Cross.
Seeking a way to support him, Booth’s church came up with a blood drive.
But it’s more than just a blood drive. Participants will be able to be screened for the National Bone Marrow Registry, the organization that found a match that could save Booth’s life.
The American Red Cross will conduct the blood drive and the bone marrow screening, which basically consists of a mouth swab, for those interested in becoming part of the registry.
“You don’t have to be able to donate blood to be a bone marrow donor,” notes the Rev. Mike Stowers, pastor of New Hope Baptist.
Nor must one participate in the bone marrow swab to donate blood Thursday.
Potential donors must be 17, weigh at least 110 pounds and be in good health.
