Bone Marrow Screening and Replenishment Blood Drive

Please schedule an appointment to donate blood at this drive by logging on to www.centralbloodbank.org using sponsor code ZRTN0930 or by contacting Marsha Molinero at 724-942-4867 (Appointments are Strongly Encouraged)

Nine-month-old Lydia Grace Kovac was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia on March 30, 2012 and immediately began receiving chemotherapy and blood transfusions at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC. She also became a candidate for a bone marrow transplant; her family says, "By the grace of God, Lydia has a sibling donor that is an exact match." However, many children with Lydia's diagnosis are not as fortunate and must seek a bone marrow match from an unrelated donor.

Lydia is the daughter of Angela and Paul Kovac of McMurray. She has four siblings, Katherine, Caleb, Ben and Daniel. The Kovacs are actively involved in their community, including their church family at South Hills Bible Chapel. A very fun-loving, happy child despite her serious medical condition, Lydia is strongly supported by the faith and prayers of her family, friends and church community.

As Lydia progresses in her AML treatment, she relies upon blood transfusions when her counts are low. The Kovac family would like to replenish the community blood supply by hosting a blood drive at their home church. This effort will also include a bone marrow screening opportunity where participants will be able to join Be The Match®, the national registry of bone marrow donors, to help other cancer patients in need. The bone marrow screening is a very simple process requiring only a mouth swab and paperwork.

Central Blood Bank is the not-for-profit organization that supplies blood products and transfusion-related services to approximately 40 hospitals in western Pennsylvania,
northern West Virginia and eastern Ohio.