The following article is from WCTV News in Tallahassee, FL.
A few weeks ago, Jimbo Fisher and his wife Candi asked that everyone sign up to be bone marrow donors. Friday his players signed up.
The Florida State Football team kick off the 2011 football season in 8 days, but they have a bigger battle to fight.
Bert Reed is a wide receiver for the Seminoles. He said,"When you talk about family, and being able to help somebody that's in need. It always puts things in perspective for me."
Coach Fisher's son, Ethan, has Fanconi anemia, and will need a bone marrow transplant. Friday morning the football team swabbed their cheeks to see if they are a match.
For every 38,000 people tested, one could be the match. They say if they aren't a match for Ethan, they can still help someone.
"Whatever we can do to help Coach Fisher, and help some other people out that would need a transplant. We'll do that," said Quarterback EJ Manuel.
The players said filling out the form is the hardest part of seeing if they can be a match. If they do match up, they say if they can take a hit, surely they can give some bone marrow.
The process is not as painful as it used to be. Now they can do it like you would to give blood, and if they do it on your hip, you are put to sleep.
Shawn Powell, FSU Punter, said, "It doesn't really matter what the procedure is, because we know the long term goal of the process."
More than 100 people signed up to give back, hoping to do their part to help the more than 10,000 people who need a transplant.
In addition to Friday's drive , the school has events planned for both home games against Miami on November 12, and Virginia on November 19.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Monday, August 22, 2011
Atlanta Falcons' Stephen Nicholas Counting His Blessings
The following article is from The Florida Times-Union:
Stephen Nicholas' life is filled with blessings these days.
The Atlanta linebacker, who will be playing in his hometown when his Atlanta Falcons play the Jaguars Friday night, has a starting job and a new five-year, $17.5 million deal he signed when the lockout ended.
A fourth-round pick out of South Florida in 2007 and the sixth brother in a family of eight boys, the former Robert E. Lee High School standout has started 25 games over the past two years and played in 65 games in his career. One of his brothers, Ivan, is a safety at Ole Miss.
But the best thing in Stephen's life now is watching his 3-year-old son running around like a typical toddler.
Stephen Nicholas Jr. was born on Jan. 6, 2008, and it quickly became apparent he was suffering from some type of illness. He didn't eat much and slept all the time.
"Holding him in my arms, I knew he wasn't functioning like a regular little baby," said Stephen's father Lebon Nicholas, a bishop at Victory Tabernacle Church in Jacksonville.
Doctors determined that Stephen Jr. had a heart problem, and he was airlifted to Atlanta with the help of Stephanie Blank, the wife of Falcons owner Arthur Blank, who is on the board of Children's Hospital in Atlanta.
The diagnosis was that Stephen Jr. had cardiomyopathy, a condition that keeps the heart from being able to pump blood throughout the body. The only solution was a heart transplant.
The baby and Nicholas' wife, Irene, went to Children's Hospital in Boston to wait and see if a heart transplant would become available. Meanwhile, Stephen Nicholas went to training camp.
"There was a lot of prayer, man," Nicholas said. "My wife was very strong during the situation and held it down while I was practicing two-a-days. It was very tough, a hard time."
His father said he even called on affiliated churches to join in the prayers.
"We did a lot of praying, asking God to help us," Lebon Nicholas said.
Mike Smith, the former Jaguars defensive coordinator who was in his first season as the Falcons' coach, allowed Nicholas to fly to Boston each Sunday night after the Falcons played. He didn't have to return until Wednesday in time for practice.
"We were very cognizant of what was going on and we wanted to make sure he was able to get to Boston as often as possible," Smith said to ESPN.com. "We wanted him to be with his wife and baby because this was a very trying situation."
They also had to deal with the stark reality that the only way their baby would be saved would be for another family to go through the tragedy of losing theirs.
"It broke my heart to know that if he got a heart, another baby had to die. That thought went through my mind all the time," Lebon Nicholas said. "I don't know who it was and how it came about, but I still pray to heal the wounds that were inflicted there."
Their baby underwent the heart transplant on Oct. 17, 2008. The Nicholas' have since had a second child, Sarai, who will be two in October, and she's healthy.
To read the full article, visit Jacksonville.com.
Stephen Nicholas' life is filled with blessings these days.
The Atlanta linebacker, who will be playing in his hometown when his Atlanta Falcons play the Jaguars Friday night, has a starting job and a new five-year, $17.5 million deal he signed when the lockout ended.
A fourth-round pick out of South Florida in 2007 and the sixth brother in a family of eight boys, the former Robert E. Lee High School standout has started 25 games over the past two years and played in 65 games in his career. One of his brothers, Ivan, is a safety at Ole Miss.
But the best thing in Stephen's life now is watching his 3-year-old son running around like a typical toddler.
Stephen Nicholas Jr. was born on Jan. 6, 2008, and it quickly became apparent he was suffering from some type of illness. He didn't eat much and slept all the time.
"Holding him in my arms, I knew he wasn't functioning like a regular little baby," said Stephen's father Lebon Nicholas, a bishop at Victory Tabernacle Church in Jacksonville.
Doctors determined that Stephen Jr. had a heart problem, and he was airlifted to Atlanta with the help of Stephanie Blank, the wife of Falcons owner Arthur Blank, who is on the board of Children's Hospital in Atlanta.
The diagnosis was that Stephen Jr. had cardiomyopathy, a condition that keeps the heart from being able to pump blood throughout the body. The only solution was a heart transplant.
The baby and Nicholas' wife, Irene, went to Children's Hospital in Boston to wait and see if a heart transplant would become available. Meanwhile, Stephen Nicholas went to training camp.
"There was a lot of prayer, man," Nicholas said. "My wife was very strong during the situation and held it down while I was practicing two-a-days. It was very tough, a hard time."
His father said he even called on affiliated churches to join in the prayers.
"We did a lot of praying, asking God to help us," Lebon Nicholas said.
Mike Smith, the former Jaguars defensive coordinator who was in his first season as the Falcons' coach, allowed Nicholas to fly to Boston each Sunday night after the Falcons played. He didn't have to return until Wednesday in time for practice.
"We were very cognizant of what was going on and we wanted to make sure he was able to get to Boston as often as possible," Smith said to ESPN.com. "We wanted him to be with his wife and baby because this was a very trying situation."
They also had to deal with the stark reality that the only way their baby would be saved would be for another family to go through the tragedy of losing theirs.
"It broke my heart to know that if he got a heart, another baby had to die. That thought went through my mind all the time," Lebon Nicholas said. "I don't know who it was and how it came about, but I still pray to heal the wounds that were inflicted there."
Their baby underwent the heart transplant on Oct. 17, 2008. The Nicholas' have since had a second child, Sarai, who will be two in October, and she's healthy.
To read the full article, visit Jacksonville.com.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Successful Auction Raises More Than $12,000!
Friends and family of Michelle Barnes, who recently received a kidney transplant, planned an auction to assist with Michelle's medical expenses. Everyone had a great time, and the event was a huge success!
Miss Minnesota not only sold tickets, but also attended the event to lend her support. Some of the big ticket auction items included an iPad2 and a diamond necklace, which Mrs. Minnesota wore during the event. Even some of the Vikings cheerleaders came to cheer on the crowd while they bid on items such as Twins/Yankees tickets and a vacation getaway! It was a great night and brought in more than $12,000 in honor of Michelle's fundraising campaign!
Miss Minnesota not only sold tickets, but also attended the event to lend her support. Some of the big ticket auction items included an iPad2 and a diamond necklace, which Mrs. Minnesota wore during the event. Even some of the Vikings cheerleaders came to cheer on the crowd while they bid on items such as Twins/Yankees tickets and a vacation getaway! It was a great night and brought in more than $12,000 in honor of Michelle's fundraising campaign!
A Great Night at AutoZone Park!
We had a great time at the Memphis Redbirds' Organ Donor Night last Saturday! NFT staff members, patients and supporters were able to meet new friends and spread the word about organ donation with so many Redbirds fans. Here are few pictures from the evening, but you can see many more on our Facebook page.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Thursday, August 4, 2011
August Patient of the Month: Kevin Clancy
In 2007, Kevin Clancy went to the emergency room thinking he had a really bad cold. After undergoing multiple tests, he received the shocking diagnosis of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and was hospitalized for 10 days. During his hospitalization, he received 13 blood transfusions and learned a bone marrow transplant was critical to his survival. Because Kevin has a rare tissue type, doctors said it would be highly unlikely to find a donor match.Thankfully a match was found, and he received his lifesaving transplant on May 26, 2011!
Kevin and his wife, Jeni, have two beautiful daughters who mean the world to them. His girls have been his inspiration in his fight against cancer, as he is determined to give his daughters the one thing he never had--a father. A San Francisco resident, he loves hiking, traveling, going to the beach and playing around the city with his family.
To read more about Kevin or to make a donation in his honor, please visit his web bio on the NT site.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
July Transplant Birthdays
We are so excited for our patients who received lifesaving transplants last month!
- Kristen Adams (kidney) at Massachusetts General Hospital
- Al Barbour (heart) at University of North Carolina Hospital
- Jamaal Farris (kidney) at Scott & White Clinic
- William James (kidney) at VCU Medical Center
- Gerald Jeremiah (liver) at Methodist University Hospital Transplant Institute
- Jane Milligan (kidney) at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
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