Poignant New Meaning of "One in a Million" for Kind Hearted, Petaluma 11-Year-Old Seeking Bone Marrow Match

Petaluma's Fabulous Women and Petaluma Valley Athletic Club join forces early next month in a Family Activity Day and Bone Marrow Donor Drive, for 11-year-old Petaluma Meadow School student, CJ Banaszek.  

Neighbor and Banaszek family friend, Krista Gawronski, founder of the Fabulous Women's grassroots philanthropy group describes CJ as: "A wonderful boy, with an exceptional heart, the nicest little boy on the planet."

Gawrwonski's spearheading a community-wide campaign on saturday, April 7th, 2012 in search of a bone marrow donor match for CJ, diagnosed with a rare form of Leukemia, called CML. 

"CJ's favorite color is orange, he loves Harry Potter and basketball and he's got the most amazing, gentle spirit," she says. Participants are encouraged to wear orange at this special event. CJ is currently undergoing a session of targeted chemotherapy with the goal of having the disease go into remission. "We are optimistic that a bone marrow drive will help us find him a match, says Gawronski. CJ's family is widely known throughout the community for its tireless fundraising partnerships over the years with innumerable  schools and local non-profits and organizations, via its popular Petaluma Applebee's restaurant on Old Redwood Highway.

The family friendly event at Petaluma Valley Athletic Club takes place from 12 - 6 pm. "We will help people get tested and be added to the National Bone Marrow registry," says Gawronski. Once added to the registry potential donor must be prepared for a possible match with another person awaiting bone marrow transplant. A raffle, silent auction, tennis tournament, bake sale, t-shirt sales, Courage band sale, music, bbq, clown and jumpy house are all in the works.

Links are not live on the image in the format posted above. To find out more about how to be tested as a potential bone marrow match for CJ, to donate to the silent auction or raffle, or participate in the tennis tournament to raise funds, call the numbers listed at the foot of the poster.

Comments

[Rachel A]

Thanks, Frances, for blogging about this. A story close to our family's hearts, as you know. My sister-in-law just celebrated 2-year anniversary of her bone marrow transplant for ALL (acute lymphoblastic leukemia), where BMT was also required as part of treatment. She was so fortunate to have a perfect match from the donor bank... He saved her life so she could recover & continue being wife & mom, sister, daughter, friend, aunt, etc! CJ's in our thoughts & prayers, big time!!!

[Frances]

Thank you for commenting on this one, Rachel, proof indeed that there is great hope for finding a perfect match and so good to hear that your sister-in-law continues to thrive!

[Teona Hoggins]

Hello, everybody! Your post has moved me deeply. It proves that in our mad world there are still people who are eager to help and make someone's life better. I like the idea of people wearing orange on this event, it will unite them and remain of the purpose of the event. I wish there were more such organizations like yours.