
DATE: Friday, April 18, 1997                TAG: 9704160159

SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER      PAGE: 15   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY JENNIFER C. O'DONNELL, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   83 lines

CAR DEALER PROVIDES SITE FOR GRANDMA'S BONE-MARROW DRIVE

When Gwen Woods needed a location for her grandson's upcoming bone-marrow, tissue-typing drive, she didn't have to look further than her Chesapeake employer, Riddle Acura/Subaru.

Woods, the business manager for the Chesapeake car dealership, was told when she started organizing the drive that she would need a church or other non-profit sponsor to house the event.

``But when Mr. Riddle found out that I needed a place, he said we would do it right here,'' said Woods.

The decision to have the drive - 7 p.m. on April 24 - at the dealership was an easy one for Thomas F. Riddle to make.

``I have six grandchildren myself and it could have been one of my grandchildren or anyone's that needed help,'' said Riddle, owner and president of the dealership.

``Who knows what that child could grow up to be,'' he added. ``He could grow up to help other people in life.''

Woods' 14-month-old grandson, Eric Alexander, was diagnosed when he was 10 months old with Acute Myeloid Leukemia, a disease that normally strikes adults.

``He received chemotherapy and went into remission in December but relapsed March 4,'' said Woods. The youngster, who lives in Hanford, Calif., with his mother and older sister Erica, underwent another round of chemotherapy just weeks ago, but it wasn't enough to fight the disease.

``Now he needs a bone-marrow transplant,'' said his grandmother.

Woods and the rest of her family were all tested in the hopes that one of them would prove to be a perfect match for Eric, but none were. The National Marrow Donor Program's Registry, which has more than 2.9 million volunteer donors listed, also failed to provide the match Eric needs.

Now the family is relying on the possibility that a complete stranger might be able to help.

According to Woods, the bone-marrow typing is a fairly simple procedure for the donors and only two small vials of blood are drawn from the volunteers.

``The whole process only takes about 20 minutes,'' said Woods.

The blood is then typed and entered into a national registry. If a match is found for Eric or anyone else on the list, the donor is notified. The odds of matching an unrelated individual vary widely, depending on the rarity of the patient's marrow type.

Days before the drive, Woods said her fellow employees will be busy baking cakes, pies and cookies for a bake sale that will take place while the bone-marrow typing is going on. The funds will be used to help pay for the typing, which costs $20 per donor.

``I received a grant from the National Marrow Donor Program, but it will only cover 250 people,'' said Woods who added she hopes her drive will draw a larger crowd. ``After that, I'll use the money I raised with the fund raisers and if that's not enough to cover the costs, I'll pay for it out of my own pocket.''

The other fund raisers Woods organized took place on April 16 at Riddle Acura/Subaru and Riddle Honda in Portsmouth. For a price of $5 per person, hungry participants could fill their stomachs at an all-you-can-eat buffet sponsored by several area restaurants including Feather-n-Fin Chicken & Seafood, Doughtie's and Timbuktu.

Woods said the support she's received from area businesses, her employer and fellow employees has made it possible for her to support her daughter and grandson and organize the upcoming drive and other fund raisers.

``My employer has given me the time off I needed to fly to California and all the employees have come to my aid to help,'' said Woods. ``Their help has restored my faith in people.''

And Riddle said the help his employees have shown Woods has meant a lot to him as well.

``I'm very proud of them,'' he said. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MORT FRYMAN

Thomas F. Riddle, owner of Riddle Acura/Subaru on South Military

Highway, didn't hesitate to suggest that business manager Gwen Woods

use the dealership for a bone-marrow, tissue-typing drive for her

14-month-old grandson.

Graphic

WANT TO HELP?

What: Eric Alexander bone marrow drive

When: Thursday from noon to 7 p.m.

Where: Riddle Acura/Subaru, 1701 S. Military Hwy., Chesapeake

Sponsors: Riddle Acura/Subaru, The Red Cross, The National Marrow