Sixth Annual D.J. Dimas Bone Marrow Drive

Every year, 30,000 people in the United States are stricken with a blood-related disease. For many, a marrow transplant is their only hope for life, and for 70% of these patients, a matching donor must be found outside of their immediate family.

The City of Arvada, in conjunction with Bonfils Colorado Marrow Donor Program, is hosting the sixth annual DJ Dimas Bone Marrow Drive to encourage community members to register on the National Bone Marrow Donor Registry.

The Drive honors the memory of former Arvada resident Daniel James ‘DJ’ Dimas, who was stricken with leukemia in 2000 and passed away in 2001, unable to find a bone marrow match. Since the first drive in 2000, over 260 people have been added to the national registry.

The seventh annual DJ Dimas Bone Marrow Drive will be held on Tuesday, April 15, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Arvada City Hall, 8101 Ralston Road. Anyone between the ages of 18 and 60 who is in general good health can join the program. All it takes is a few minutes: fill out a form, take a simple blood test, and join the National Bone Marrow Registry. There is a $30 fee to join the National Registry. The fee helps defray the cost of testing.

For more information about the National Marrow Donor Program and marrow donation procedures, call the Colorado Marrow Donor Program at (303) 363-2342 or log onto www.bonfils.org For information about the drive at Arvada City Hall, call (720) 898-7500.