Join the bone marrow registry from ANYWHERE around the globe!

You could be the ONE!

Although a drive is being held tomorrow in Woodland Hills, CA in memory of Allison's life, journey, and battle against leukemia, you can participate from anywhere around the globe! Please consider becoming a member of the National Bone Marrow Registry/Be The Match and give the gift of life. When you sign up online, you will receive your test kit in the mail to the address you provide. Once you receive it, simply follow the instructions, swipe four swabs along the inside of your mouth, pack it up and send it back in the envelope provided. How easy is that?!?!?

Why should you do it?
Because thousands of patients with leukemia and other life-threatening diseases depend on the Be The Match Registry^® to find a match to save their life. You may never be called as a match for someone, but you may be just the ONE to save the life of a baby, child or adult. Patients need donors who are a genetic match. Even with a registry of millions, many patients cannot find a match even within their own family. Donors with diverse racial or ethnic backgrounds are especially needed.

What does it mean to be on the registry?
You can find answers to several, if not all, of your questions by following this link:
http://www.marrow.org/JOIN/FAQs_about_Joining_the_Registry/index.html

Myths and facts about donating bone marrow:
This may also be of interest to some when making a decision:
http://www.marrow.org/JOIN/Myths_%26_Facts_about_Marrow_Don/index.html

How can I join online?
Once you have decided to join, you can sign up to receive your kit by following this link:

http://join.marrow.org/AllisonsGift

Follow the onscreen instructions and enter promo code: AllisonsGift when prompted. The online registry is active May 12 – June 30, 2010.

Give the Gift of Life! Join us for a special Blood & Bone Marrow Registration drive in honor of Allison's Birthday!

On what would be Allison's 2nd birthday, May 13, 2010, our family, along with Kaiser Permanente Woodland Hills, will be hosting a blood drive and bone marrow registration drive to celebrate her life and memory. It is our hope and prayer that we will be able to continue to carry on the spirit of our daughter. Join us as we celebrate Allison's life, her memory, and continue her legacy. Together we CAN save lives!!! Please join us for this special event! While you may have already joined the bone marrow registry, you can also donate much needed blood and platelets.
When: Thursday, May 13, 2010/ 10am - 6:30pm
Where: Kaiser Permanente Blood Donor Center - 5601 De Soto Avenue, Woodland Hills, CA, Entrance 4, Lower Level (818) 719 4329

Our personal experience tells us that it just takes one person to save a life. Out of the over 13 million people on the Bone Marrow Registry, there was one, single perfect match for Allison. Unfortunately her disease took over and she was unable to receive her transplant. Help us find a perfect match for patients who are waiting! It could be YOU!!! Last year, almost 2000 people joined the National Bone Marrow registry in her honor. It was such a gift to know that at least one patient found the marrow match they needed to save their life due to one of the several drives held in Allison's honor.

During her treatment she required several blood transfusions and platelet infusions, it was because of the generosity of friends, family and strangers that she was able to receive exactly what she needed, when she needed it. Many patients have to wait precious moments for blood or platelets when needing a transfusion. These moments can mean the difference between life and death. When you donate blood you are helping at least 3 people in need. If you're unable to attend our event, please consider donating when you are able at Kaiser or any donor center close to your location.

Patients with leukemia and other life-threatening blood disorders need bone marrow donors who are a very close or exact genetic match. The chance of finding a family member who is a match is just 1 in 25. And even with a registry of over 13 million, only about 50% of patients ever find a non-family member donor match. The unbelievable fact is, that there is only a 2% chance that bone marrow registrant will ever be called!

Donors of all diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds are needed. Those with a varied ethnic background are also in great demand. Adding more potential donors from all racial and ethnic backgrounds to the registry increases the likelihood that all patients will find the match they so desperately need. Let's make sure no patient ever has to wait for the procedure that could save their life! It's so easy to join! All it takes is 4 swabs from the inside of your mouth!

For more information, please visit www.BeTheMatch.org or call 1 (800) MARROW-2.

Please feel free to print and share this flyer with others!!!

A Beautiful Tribute to Allison's Life and Memory

We would like to express our sincerest gratitude to Lisa Sigell, health reporter for CBS2 / KCAL 9 for creating such a wonderful tribute to Allison. She created a touching and inspiring piece that paid tribute to Allison's life, her fight, and to her memory. Thank you for sharing her story once again and for helping us continue to carry her message.

Please click the link below to read the story and see the piece that originally aired on Thursday evening, February 25, 2010. It also aired on the daytime newscasts on Friday, February 26, 2010.

http://cbs2.com/health/allison.zicree.bone.2.1521619.html

Continuing to Carry Allison's Message

It has been our hope and prayer that we would be able to continue to carry on the spirit of our daughter. In her short life, she inspired people and called many to action. In her honor, many bone marrow drives have been held. Just last week, a bone marrow registry drive was held in her memory and 49 more people signed up! We know of at least one life that was saved because a bone marrow donor match was found for a patient during a drive held in Allison's honor last summer. What a gift! She has called us into action and we will continue her fight to help save others!

We hope that her story will continue to help others find their donor match. Statistics show that approximately 10, 000 people are found in need of marrow matches each year, however, only about 50% ever find the match they need. Across the globe there are about 12 million registrants on the National Bone Marrow Registry, it only takes one match to be the change for a patient and their family. You could be that miracle! Please visit: www.bethematch.org to learn more about registering as a bone marrow donor. You can also learn more about the entire process by visiting that site.

On what would be Allison's 2nd birthday, May 13, 2010(8:30am - 8pm) our family, along with Kaiser Permanente Woodland Hills(CA), will be hosting a blood drive and bone marrow registration drive to celebrate her life & memory. We hope that those who are able to, choose to participate. Please keep checking here for more information as the date gets closer. The drive will be held at Kaiser Permanente Woodland Hills, 5601 De Soto Ave. We hope to see you there!

We miss her every single day, but our hearts are warmed by stories that you share with us about your memories of Allison. We still hurt, but by continuing to live the fighting spirit that she so wonderfully embodied, we are able to continue in our lives by facing each day and each new challenge in her memory. We thank each and every one of you for your thoughts, prayers, and love for our family. We appreciate it more than words can express.

With love,
Allison's Mommy & Daddy

Allison's Song

Bekken is a local musician who is a also a friend of the family. She was so touched and inspired by Allison's fight against Leukemia, that she was moved to write her song Prayer. It wasn't until the week before Allison's [almost sudden] passing that the song was completed. The first time we were able to hear it was at Allison's service in October, and we were in absolute awe. She was able to capture so much of our journey in her music. Bekken...we thank you for sharing your talent and your work with us.

Please take a listen! Jennifer Ozuna, Allison's cousin created this slide show with some of the family's favorite pictures to celebrate Allison's life and battle with Leukemia.

Bekken can be found on Myspace at: www.myspace.com/bekken or become a fan on Facebook. To listen to samples of her other songs, please find her on iTunes.

Wow! It has been quite awhile...

What a time it has been! We've gone through many different emotions and had new and different life experiences over the last two and a half months. There have been ups and downs like we have never experienced before. Grief is a very strange animal. It can take many different forms and can have unexpected effects. Sometimes it ravages every ounce of your being, others it can snuggle you and be oddly comforting. There are times it can stop you dead in your tracks and keep you from doing anything at all, and other times it can be a great motivator. The hardest part is, that it is so unpredictable.

The holidays were extremely difficult. This is a time for family and a time where children are celebrated. It was different for our family this year. We had to find new things to fill our days and nights. And although we only had Allison for one Christmas holiday, we were able to build wonderful memories in 2008. We definitely mourned not being able to share with her again in 2009. What we did have though, was one another. Shaun and I leaned on each other for support, love, and kindness. We were able to share our happiest memories of Allison with each other and through the tears came laughter. I am extremely grateful for Shaun's love and support. We looked at each other on New Year's day and realized we had survived the holiday season...if not by the very skin of our teeth. We lived to share our experience.

In the new year, we've continued on our path of growing our marriage and working through the pain of losing our only daughter. It has yet to get easier, and what's even stranger is that as time goes on it only becomes more confusing. Why this is, I'm not sure. But in order to get past it, I must walk through it. I put one foot in front of the other and do each day as it comes. Sometimes that just means putting one foot in front of the other to get to the couch and snuggle with a movie and my favorite blanket. Other times, one step at a time means getting ready and leaving the house for a full day of errands and lunch with friends to keep my spirits up. The most important thing is allowing myself to do what I need to do to keep me living life, and just being nice to myself.

None of this is easy. Even I can't find the words to describe the emotional roller coaster. Of course there are days when I laugh(at least a little every day! :) ) and I cry a little almost everyday. It's ok. I hope that if I let the feelings hit me and I ride the wave when it comes, that it WILL get easier or at least a little softer in time. Only time will tell.....

Until next time,

Nicole - Allison's Mommy

P.S.

We have some new things in the works! Come back next week to find out what it is!!! ;)