Timbers To Host Bone-Marrow Donor Drive
January 28, 2009 - USL First Division (USL-1)
Portland Timbers News Release
PORTLAND, Ore. - Led by defender Cameron Knowles, the Portland Timbers are teaming up with DKMS, the largest bone-marrow donor center in the world, to host a bone-marrow donor drive on Sunday, Feb. 8, at PGE Park on behalf of Marcia Williams, who was diagnosed with Leukemia in 2008.
The Timbers' bone-marrow donor drive will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. inside the pavilion suites at PGE Park. Several current and former Timbers players, including Scot Thompson, Kiki Lara and Chris Brown, will be on hand to participate in the drive and meet with potential donors.
Williams, the wife of Knowles' former Real Salt Lake teammate Andy Williams, was diagnosed with a rare form of Leukemia called "AML6" in July. Since then, she has started treatment and undergone six bone-marrow biopsies but will ultimately need a bone-marrow transplant to help save her life.
"After learning of Marcia's unfortunate situation I felt compelled to do something," said Knowles. "I learned that the process for testing for potential donors is easy and pain-free, requiring nothing more than a cheek swab. I saw how the soccer community in Utah came together to support the cause and knew we would do the same here in Portland."
DKMS has partnered with the soccer communities in Salt Lake City and now in Portland to help find a match for Marcia's rare bone marrow type.
"The more people that get tested, the more chance there is of finding someone to save not only Marcia's life, but also the lives of the more than 10,000 people that are diagnosed with blood cancers each year," said Knowles.
The Timbers' bone-marrow donor drive is open to all healthy individuals between 18-55 years of age. To help cover costs of the drive, donations will be collected at PGE Park during the drive or can be made in Marcia's name online at www.dkmsamericas.org. To learn more about the Williams' story, visit www.soccerunitesutah.com.
For more information about the Timbers bone-marrow donor drive, visit www.portlandtimbers.com.
USL First Division Stories from January 28, 2009
- Timbers To Host Bone-Marrow Donor Drive - Portland Timbers
- Charleston Battery Transfers Osvaldo Alonso to MLS's Seattle Sounders FC - Charleston Battery
- RailHawks Add Three to the Nest - North Carolina FC
- Battery opens season versus defending champion Vancouver Whitecaps - Charleston Battery
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
