Blood match campaign scheduled in Hesperia for sheriff's deputy diagnosed with leukemia

Rene Ray De La Cruz, Victorville Daily Press
·1 min read
The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department will host a blood stem cell match event in Hesperia for Deputy Erik Nilsen who was recently diagnosed with leukemia.
The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department will host a blood stem cell match event in Hesperia for Deputy Erik Nilsen who was recently diagnosed with leukemia.

The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department will host a blood stem cell match event in Hesperia for a deputy who was recently diagnosed with leukemia.

In partnership with the City of Hope and the Sheriff's Employees' Benefit Association, the donor event for Deputy Erik Nilsen is scheduled from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Wednesday, June 29 at the Hesperia Sheriff’s Station, 15840 Smoke Tree Street.

Donors must be between 18 and 40, in general, good health and willing to donate to any patient.

For more information, text SWABFORERIK to 61474 or visit my.bethematch.org/swabforerik.

Donations

Bone marrow transplants are lifesaving treatments for people with diseases such as leukemia, lymphoma, other cancers, or sickle cell anemia. Donated blood stem cells are needed for these transplants, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Donating bone marrow stem cells requires agreeing to have stem cells drawn from either your blood or bone marrow to be given to someone else. This is known as a stem cell transplant, bone marrow transplant, or hematopoietic stem cell transplant.

Stem cells used in transplants come from three sources, including the spongy tissue at the center of some bones (bone marrow), the bloodstream (peripheral blood) and umbilical cord blood from newborns. The source that's used depends on the purpose of the transplant.

In the past, surgery to draw bone marrow stem cells from bone marrow was the only way to collect stem cells. Today, however, it's more common to collect stem cells from blood through a vein (peripheral blood stem cell donation).

Umbilical cords produce only a small amount of blood, which might not be enough for an adult. This type of transplant is generally used for children and small adults.

Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at 760-951-6227 or RDeLaCruz@VVDailyPress.com. Follow him on Twitter @DP_ReneDeLaCruz

This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Blood stem cell match campaign for Deputy Erik Nilsen who has leukemia