DOES YOUR BLOOD MATCH?!

This is a page from my Old Site, but I left it here as part of HISTORY, particularly related to Michael's Big Fight...

These are excerpts from the emails that I have received from Michael's manager, Darryl Pitt.

On behalf of Michael and Susan Brecker, thank you so very much for placing Susan’s email on your website. I should mention that Susan and Michael are extremely grateful for the love and support they have received form all over the world—and deeply appreciate your efforts. I should clarify, however, it’s not that Michael “prefers” that his donor be an Eastern European Jew, it’s that the only donor who can cure Michael will be someone from the same ethnic and geographical background (a similar genetic pool)---and so it will just simply be someone who is Eastern European and Jewish.

Nonetheless, Michael and Susan are very hopeful that large numbers of people get tested and have their names added to the National Donor Registry regardless of where they are from, not only so we can increase the chances of a match for Michael but for so many others who face a similar challenge.

Thank you again for your support. With much gratitude --

Depth of Field Management

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Tuesday, August 2, 2005 8:43 AM

Dear Arkady-

I'm so sorry to have learned about your brother's illness and passing, and I wish to thank you so very much for your efforts to assist Michael. Yes, he has good doctors....and I believe they’re beginning to like jazz more and more. As it regards the Eastern European Jewish thing....it would be great if you could change this only because you have no idea how many people out there don't understand basic mechanics of genetics!! Every day I receive many emails which are shocking.

I've included below some text that we use for potential donors for your consideration.

"Your blood type doesn’t matter. And because tissue type is inherited, patients are most likely to match someone of their same race and ethnicity. A donor match for Michael would most likely come from those of Eastern European Jewish descent, a group whose numbers and resulting genetic lines were greatly reduced during WWII. There is also a special need to recruit more donors who are Asian, Hispanic, Latino, African American, Native American, Native Alaskas, Armenians, Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders. The reason why there are greater numbers needed for these groups is as a result of purges of the population (genocide, etc.) and/or relatively few people in the group in the National Donor Registry. In any event, we urge everyone to get tested so that if you cannot help Michael, you can help someone else faced with the same challenge as Michael."

Best regards,
Darryl