A Columbia Falls woman is spearheading a drive to find more bone marrow transplant donors after her brother was recently diagnosed with leukemia.

Jay Beranek is a 10-year member of the North Valley Eagles. Her brother, who wishes to remain anonymous, but is a 20-year military veteran and grew up in Columbia Falls, was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia on March 1. He’s undergoing chemotherapy in Washington state where he now lives, but is also facing the prospect of a bone marrow transplant.

“Thanks to BeTheMatch.org my brother does have a match. This organization has a registry of donors willing to help total strangers. A total stranger is giving my brother a chance at being cured,” Beranek noted in an email to the Hungry Horse News.

Beranek is hoping to get folks to take a simple swab test to see if they’re a potential donor. Donors must be between the ages of 18 and 44.

Beranek said she can’t donate — she’s had cancer twice — but there may be other potential donors out there for others with cancer. so she’s organized a “May Marrow” drive at the Eagles.

Another cancer sufferer from Columbia Falls recently underwent a bone marrow transplant as well. Columbia Falls student Kimberly Peacock underwent a bone marrow transplant for leukemia last week in Colorado and is in recovery.

The club is holding a host of fundraisers for Beranek’s brother, including a 50-50 raffle, special Bingo games and other events at the club’s May 18 steak fry night at 6:30 p.m. They’re also collecting new stuffed toys for children and games for adults to give to area hospitals.

But what Beranek really hopes is that more potential bone marrow donors come forward. She said there’s a misconception that donating bone marrow means grinding up a person’s bones. But the reality is the stem cells can be extracted from a person’s blood after a series of treatments, or it can be taken from a person’s hip — a procedure that amounts to a sore hip for a few days. Learn more at: https://bethematch.org