In late December, 2013, Jamie and Marcus Espinoza noticed that one of their fraternal twin boys, Jack, was suffering from frequent fevers and small bruises on his limbs. Shortly thereafter Jack’s parents received the devastating news that he had been diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia or A.L.L. Although doctors were encouraging that this form of Leukemia was a very treatable form, therapy could last as long as three years.
Jack, now 18 months old, continues to battle this dreadful disease. Although he has responded to some of the treatment, doctors have suggested that a bone marrow transplant would be a possible “lifetime” cure. To date, no match has been found for Jack in the bone marrow registry.
One of Jack’s family members happens to be a member of the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, Transit Services Bureau (TSB), and advised TSB management that a bone marrow donor drive could greatly increase Jack’s chances of survival. The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) has graciously agreed to partner with TSB and co-host the “Swab for Jack” bone marrow donor drive at the Metro Headquarters Building near Union Station in Los Angeles. A 15 second swab of the inner cheek could find a match for Jack, or a match for someone on the bone marrow recipient registry.
Jennifer Konig, Jack’s maternal aunt said that approximately 1 out of every 540 potential donors tested might be a match to a recipient waiting for a bone marrow transplant. “Jack’s leukemia was a shock to our whole family” Said Konig, “So the thought of losing one of our young family members is so extremely devastating” Jack and his parents are currently at the St. Jude Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, for a “half match” bone marrow transplant. Since no exact match has been found for Jack, doctors will transplant marrow from Jamie, Jack’s mother, into Jack in an attempt to slow the progression of the disease or possibly cure him..
Jack’s grandparents, aunt Jennifer, and many other family members will be in attendance. The “Swab for Jack” event will be held on Wednesday, April 30th, from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, at the Metro Headquarters Building, One Gateway Plaza, Los Angeles, California, 90012.
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Ramon Montenegro, LET
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Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
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John L Scott, Sheriff
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