Help Susan Marcus' Grandson Find a Matching Blood Marrow Donor

Can you imagine the horror of knowing, within a 12-hour timespan, that your child or grandchild has cancer?

That is what happened to Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s agent Susan Marcus. Her grandson, Harrison Marcus, is a 9-year-old boy who went from starting the school day with his annual pediatric check-up to being diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia by bedtime.

And doctors have confirmed the only cure for Harrison, a third-grader at Parish Episcopal School, is a bone marrow transplant.

Because there is no matching donor in his family, Harrison must find a lifesaving donor from strangers. That’s why his family immediately teamed with the nonprofit DKMS to host local bone marrow drives nationwide in the hopes of finding an appropriate donor. There are two coming up in Dallas.

Anyone in good health between the ages of 18-55 is encouraged to attend and register.

“Did you know that only 2 percent of Americans are registered as potential bone marrow donors?,” said Melissa Baird Chapman.”It’s a simple two-minute swab test. Please help us get the word out to change this statistic and help Harrison and other patients win the fight against blood cancer!”

Since the diagnosis, Harrison’s life is forever changed. Instead of third-grade fun and learning, or his favorite Ice Hockey sport, he is fighting for his life in the hospital with chemotherapy treatments, dozens of medications and the search for a matching donor.

That’s why Parish Episcopal School is hosting a drive on Sunday, Jan. 12, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 4101 Sigma Road in North Dallas. Parish held a previous bone marrow donor drive in 2011 for a student which generated 1,018 new potential donors, resulting in three people who have gone through the collection process to provide second chances at life for patients in need.

Every year more than 20,000 patients in the U.S. will require a stem cell transplant: nearly 70 percent will have to rely on finding a compatible donor.

“We are grateful to the community for supporting this drive and providing hope for a second chance for those with blood cancers,” said Harrison’s mother, Courtney Marcus, in a statement. “Kids are tough but so is cancer. We are grateful for the support of our community and hope to find lots of donors for second chances at the drive.”