OyChicago articles

Two families in the Chicago Jewish community need your help. Marc Chibnik, father to four children, suffered last January from high fevers and what was thought to be pneumonia. However, he was blindsided to receive unimaginable news, diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma ALK+ IV (a form of blood cancer). A transplant from an unrelated donor is essential for his survival. He needs the transplant immediately while he is in remission because of the aggressiveness of the disease. His cancer came back within seven months of his last transplant using his own stem cells.

Nine-year-old Lacey Horwich was diagnosed with HLH, a rare blood disorder that causes the blood cells to attack the body's cells and organs. She has been in the hospital since August 1, 2011 fighting for her life. Most recently, Horwich woke and discovered she has permanent, severe hearing loss. Despite all this, she and her family fight on for her to return to the things she loves; spending time with family, dancing, and painting.

The best match for Chibnik and Horwich are members of the Jewish community. Many synagogues and Jewish organizations have been hosting bone marrow donor drives. A quick five minute swab is all it takes to be added to the donor registry. If you are interested in hosting a donor drive, contact Jennifer Baird at Be The Match at (877) 601-1926 ext. 7742.