Together we can!

California 2021 March for Marrow Is VIRTUAL!

We wanted to run and walk with you on April 24th but…
In light of the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) in our communities and with the health and well-being of our patients, family members, friends and faculty as our top priority, AAMDSIF decided to go VIRTUAL with March for Marrow nationwide. 

There are still ways we can keep in touch and contribute invaluable information to our communities through our AAMDSIF webinars specific to the COVID-19 and our patients and families dealing with rare bone marrow failure diseases. 

And thanks to technology - we can support the work of AAMDSIF by registering to run in our Virtual 5K Run or simply by donating. Thank you!

The Aplastic Anemia and MDS International Foundation provides education, support, and hope for patients living with aplastic anemia, myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) and related bone marrow failure diseases.

Help us raise awareness for bone marrow failure disease!

Make a difference, help a patient. Don't delay!
Join us - become a virtual walker or make a contribution to support our efforts.

DETAILS

When
The week of April 24 – May 1 for the virtual 5K Run and Patient & Family Walk! See the Schedule.
Raffle Drawing on May 1!
Updates at https://www.facebook.com/marchformarrowla!

Who
Patients, family members, friends and advocates, sign up, tell your story, create a team, and set a goal to support AAMDSIF!  
Doctors, Nurses, Research Fellows – make this a fun, competitive run or walk with your colleagues. Most spirited or largest team gets a prize!!! Timing is optional.

Where
Anywhere you and your friends choose to, walk, run, cycle or skate – 1 or 2 miles or 5 kilometers – in a park, through your neighborhood, or on a treadmill - during the event week.
Walk or run with your furry friend or pushing a stroller. Or sleep in and donate to your virtual team.

What
We are raising awareness about rare bone marrow failure diseases and funds for patient and family services and research for better treatments for patients fighting bone marrow failure diseases.
Here's a handy toolkit to support your efforts!

Post your selfies at https://www.facebook.com/marchformarrowla! You can help us make this historic Virtual March for Marrow California a huge success!

We are so excited to welcome Denise Dador as our emcee for our virtual program!  Here is a little more about Denise:

Health specialist Denise Dador is the Eyewitness News Health specialist. Her Healthy Living segment is seen every day on ABC7 Eyewitness News at 4pm and 5pm. She provides additional stories about health issues for other Eyewitness News broadcasts as well as anchoring ABC7 Health specials.

Denise has served as our Celebrity Emcee for the 2018 March for Marrow Los Angeles and for our 2021 Virtual March for Marrow and has produced several inciteful profiles of our March for Marrow Champions, aplastic anemia patient, Krissy Kobata, and PNH patient, Camilla Ricci.

Registration Options
Adult Walker or Runner (Age 21 and older): $30 each
Student Walker or Runner (14 to 21 enrolled in high school or college): $20 each
Youth Walker or Runner (6 to 13): $15 each
Children 5 and under: Free - donations accepted. 

Team Pricing Available 
Students Running Teams of 5 or more, $15 each; Coach or Team Organizer download the form for Student Team Registration and contact the Race Director.

Youth Running Teams of 5 or more, $12 each; Coach or Team Organizer download the form for Youth Team Registration and contact the Race Director.

All Student or Youth Walking Teams of 5 or more, $10 each;  Coach or Team Organizer download attached form and contact the Race Director.

Raffle

Tickets are $5 each or six (6) tickets for $25. Check out our Raffle Prizes and buy your tickets here.

Raffle Prizes Include:
Colorful Handmade Quilt
$100 Gift Card
$100 Macy's Gift Card
$50 See's Candy Gift Card
Autographed item from the LA Rams

"This run is perfect for new and seasoned runners.  When I can, I run it in memory of my brother, Garrett."

Mia Hamm, US Women's National Soccer Team, 1987-2004

Schedule

We invite Doctors, Nurse, Patients or Family Members and Sponsors to speak. We also welcome bands, cheerleading squads, and singers to participate. 

Prepared videos are welcome!

Check our Facebook Page Event for updates!

Saturday, April 24, 2021, 9:00 to 10:00 am

• Opening Ceremony with Greetings from our Doctors, Nurses and Sponsors
• Our Champion, Meghan Lambe, and Family Testimonials
• Team Selfies and Cheers
• Shotgun Start for the 5K Run and Patient & Family Walks and Raffle Announcement

Saturday, May 1, 2021, 9:00 to 10:00 am

• Announcement of Top Fundraisers and Largest or Most Spirited Medical Teams
• Recognition of ALL participants and supporters
• Raffle Winners
• Moment of Remembrance and Farewell

Look for more details on the 2022 California March for Marrow at www.marchformarrow.org this December. 

VOLUNTEER
The success of this event depends on our volunteers. Thank you for all the work you put into planning this awareness and fundraising opportunity! Because this event is totally virtual our greatest need is help with social media and promotions. Our second greatest need is recruitment of exciting items for our raffle, each with a value of at least $50, and selling raffle tickets.

Contact Stephanie Hamm with VOLUNTEER or RAFFLE in the subject line.

FAQs
If you have any questions, please contact Bill Hamm to learn more. You can also review our FAQs below.
Click here for FAQs!

2021 WALK CHAMPION: Meghan Lambe
I was fifteen years old when I was diagnosed with Aplastic Anemia. While most teens are hanging out with their friends, running to classes, and crushing on the cute guy, I was faced with the decision to have a bone marrow biopsy or go through a fatiguing treatment regimen. My two options quickly became one when my sister was sadly not a match for bone marrow. I remember my doctor giving me the option to go home for Thanksgiving to be with my family and coming back the following week or to start my treatment then. However, my sole thought was to start everything and get this experience done with. With that ambition in mind, I was admitted into the hospital and we started treatment that day. Over the next year and a half, I received several transfusions, drug infusions, and a wealth of medications. While I would like to say that this treatment was successful and that was the end of my journey fate had something else in mind entirely. 

The first treatment I received bought me two years of remission, gifting me the opportunity to have a normal senior year in high school and freshman year of college. Sadly, my first relapse hit during my sophomore year in college. I moved back home and began treatment once again. Over the next five years, I went into remission once more and then sadly had a second relapse. I became very familiar and accustomed to the lifestyle of juggling school, work continuous doctor appointments, hospital stays, and transfusions. Finally, the light at the end of the tunnel came and I had not one but three perfect matches for a Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT). Ten years after being diagnosed with Aplastic Anemia I finally received a BMT. I am now coming up to my sixth-year post-BMT and it all seems like a distant memory. Though that experience was intertwined through ten years of my life I have not let it define me. I am now a nurse in a trauma hospital, engaged to a man that was with me through the good, the bad, and the ugly, and blessed with an amazing and supportive family. 

I was told early in life that attitude has a tremendous impact on life. I can say with absolute certainty this is true. Life can be very difficult and while the hard times seem to last forever your attitude and how you react to them can make a hard time better or worse. I want everyone who is having a difficult round in life to keep that message close. 

SPONSORS
Our thanks to these supporters who help make this walk and run possible and ultimately make a difference in patients' lives.

National Sponsors