As many of you know, both Jeff and I are ardent supporters of Love Hope Strength. Their mission is to save lives, one concert at a time. Since 2007, LHS volunteers have conducted thousands of bone marrow donor drives (including two at BTO, resulting in TWO matches). They have added over 58,000 people to the world wide bone marrow donor registry, resulting in over 905 potentially life saving matches for patients in need of a bone marrow transplant.
I know from personal experience just how effective a bone marrow/stem cell transplant can be as I was blessed to have had the opportunity to assist a friend of mine at MD Anderson as her primary caregiver during the transplant procedure. While there, I focused on and became a part of an amazing and life giving process that gave her a second chance. I connected with the other transplant patients and their families, and I was touched by their sense of community and inspired by their strength and endurance. My friend is coming up on celebrating her four year anniversary since receiving the donation, and she is alive and well and thriving today because of it!
Yet one of the biggest problems with the transplant process is finding donors to match the people who need life saving bone marrow. That is where Love Hope Strength, which was started by several musician superstars, comes in. LHS volunteers create a convenient place for locating eligible people who are willing to sign up on the registry to serve as potential donors.
For those who sign-up at LHS sponsored events, there is no charge to join the registry even though the cost is approximately $65 per registration (to run the lab work). That is where our benefit concert comes in. By participating in this event, you will be joining those many musicians who have helped to raise funds and register potential donors, which helps LHS in its quest to SAVE LIVES, ONE CONCERT AT A TIME!!