Big Hero

"A HUGE thank you for helping to make Gage's donor drive in Charlestown a success."

"From the moment I talked to you, I have been amazed and impressed at the support and guidance you provided to help us save Gage."

Melanie Marsden

"When I first read your website I was impressed with your organization's mission and how easy it was to access the information I needed about bone marrow transplants and running a donor recruitment drive. All of the information I needed was right there for me in one place. I had been fumbling around and spending hour after hour online or on the phone - the whole week before trying to figure out where to begin. Then my mom found DKMS."

"I read that you don't just search for donors - you find them."

"I wrote Gage's mom and dad an email and told them that the DKMS organization is exactly what we need. Because your motto kicks ass (excuse the expression) but it's true. And that's what we needed to hear. We needed to have hope, and you gave it to us. "

"We took that hope and ran with it. Because of you we were able to have donor recruitment drives in Oregon where the Dole family lives and also in Boston where Gage lived last year while getting treatment at Mass General. We were able to recruit 480 donors in Oregon and 227 in Boston - not to mention how many people who will soon be calling in for home test kits from all over the country and the world. And we couldn't have done it without DKMS."

"From your manual on how to pull everything together and promote the drive, to the posters, press releases, and website - we had the resources to refer people who had questions about the screening or procedure itself, right down to having a DKMS person on site at the event. All of the phone calls and emails in between where no question was too complicated for you to explain and no question was too simple for you to take your time to make sure we knew everything we needed to know to ensure a successful event."

"You told me on the first day we spoke to take care of getting the word out, getting volunteers and donors and you'd take care of the rest. And that was something that you delivered on 110 percent."

"Please give a big thank you and a hug to each and every member of your team from Team Gage (Oregon and East Coast) for making what is a very overwhelming and scary time in the life of all of us who love Gage a time filled with hope. Because of DKMS and the donor drives we were able to give Gage's family something that they need right now - and that is the feeling that everything is being done to ensure that their son has the best chance at survivial. And you gave all of us who know and love Trux, Lauren and Gage the opportunity to do something for them - which is something we all needed to do. And who knows how many other families will be helped because of Gage and because of you. So I thank you from the bottom of my heart. And I'm going to keep Gage's Gang spreading the word about what a wonderful organization you are."

With love,
Melanie Marsden
Charlestown, Massachusetts