A Grandmother's Inspiring Journey: Recruiting Bone Marrow Donors One Step at a Time
Jeana Moore's Unwavering Mission to Save Lives
In a heartwarming story of dedication and compassion, 87-year-old Jeana Moore has embarked on a remarkable journey to raise awareness and recruit potential bone marrow donors. Inspired by her granddaughter's own battle with Acute Myeloid Leukemia, Jeana has decided to walk an astounding 334 miles from her hometown of Deer Park, Washington, all the way to Seattle Children's Hospital to encourage others to join the bone marrow registry.
Jeana's granddaughter, Jada Bascom, was diagnosed with the life-threatening disease at just one month old. Through the generosity of a donor from Germany, Jada's life was saved, and she has now celebrated her 17th birthday. This experience has fueled Jeana's determination to help others facing similar challenges find their own matches and be given a second chance at life.
Jeana's impressive trek, dubbed "Steps-to-Marrow," is her fourth such walk, and she is relying on the kindness of strangers for food, water, and lodging along the way. Her unwavering spirit and the belief that "the possibility is tremendous" that someone could save a life by donating their cells drive her forward, one step at a time.
The National Marrow Donor Program reports that every three to four minutes, someone in the United States is diagnosed with a blood cancer, and many of these patients do not have a fully matched donor within their own family. Jeana's mission is to change that, inspiring others to join the registry and potentially become the perfect match for someone in need.
As Jeana makes her way to Seattle, she is not only raising awareness but also directly recruiting potential donors. Her journey is a testament to the power of one person's determination to make a difference, and her story serves as an inspiration to all who cross her path.
