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08-03-2005, 10:01 PM
| | Banned | | Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Northampton Mass | | | M Brecker Needs Your Help
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Now, however, Michael's blazing signature saxophone sound has been quieted.
He is a patient at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York
afflicted with MDS, Myelodysplastic Syndrome, a bone marrow disorder
characterized by the underproduction of one or more types of mature blood
cells.**There is no known single cause and currently the only curative therapy
is a stem cell (bone marrow) transplant. Each year, some 20,000 new cases of
MDS are diagnosed in the U.S. alone.
In preparation for his transplant, Michael is completing his first
course of chemotherapy. But, as yet, there is no suitable donor.**The urgent
donor search - which has included his siblings and children - has not resulted
in a match.
Aj |
08-05-2005, 07:18 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: NJ | | | Man, I love Michael Brecker. He's always been one of my favorite musicians. Those early Steps Ahead albums you could only get as imports, holy crap, those are phenominal.
I think this is the same thing that Yankees pitching coach Mel Stottlemyer had a few years ago. Mel seems to be doing fine, so there is hope. Get well Michael. The music world needs you. |
08-05-2005, 07:31 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: South of Boston | | | How can we help?
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Sometimes you have to play a long time to be able to play like yourself.
Miles Davis
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08-05-2005, 09:07 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Montreal, Canada | | | very sad news!
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"A painter paints pictures on canvas. But musicians paint their pictures on silence." ~Leopold Stokowski
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08-05-2005, 09:21 AM
| | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by spc How can we help? | Go volunteer to be a bone marrow donor, and tell your friends and family to do the same. If you're not a match for Michael, you might be for someone. Pay it forward. |
08-05-2005, 09:24 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Montreal, Canada | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by Time Divider Go volunteer to be a bone marrow donor, and tell your friends and family to do the same. If you're not a match for Michael, you might be for someone. Pay it forward. |
Unfortunatly it's not as easy a giving blood 
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"A painter paints pictures on canvas. But musicians paint their pictures on silence." ~Leopold Stokowski
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08-05-2005, 02:28 PM
| | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by Yvon Unfortunatly it's not as easy a giving blood | Nope, it's not. And since a lot of people look at it that way, a lot of people who need bone marrow end up going without.
I think a lot of people are afraid to be tested (simple blood test) because they're afraid to step up to the plate if they're found to be a match for someone in need. |
08-05-2005, 05:09 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: South of Boston | | | What's involved in being a donor (in simple terms)?
__________________
Sometimes you have to play a long time to be able to play like yourself.
Miles Davis
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08-05-2005, 07:22 PM
| | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by spc What's involved in being a donor (in simple terms)? | Contact someone from the donor network in your home state. A simple Google search should net you something, i.e., type in "South Dakota Donor Network." Or, go to this link http://www.marrow.org/HELP/join_the_registry.html
Thanks for asking. |
08-05-2005, 08:27 PM
| | I won't let your shadow be my shade... | | Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Western Massachusetts | | | I've been a registered Bone Marrow donor for several years now. All that's required to be listed as a donor IIRC is they draw some vials of blood and do a preliminary screening for type. They then entery your preliminary type into the system. If you make a preliminary match to a recipient, they will re-contact you to obtain a release for a more extensive type screening to see if you are a complete match. If you match you will be asked to donate, if not, your more extensive type information is updated in the database so the secondary type testing will not need to be done for you again in the future (this is where I stand, 2 close calls...).
From what I understand of the donation process is it is quite uncomfortable and is somewhat risky as it is an invasive procedure. For this reason many people who register to be donors have second thoughts when the time comes and the list of risks and possible negative outcomes is listed for them.
It would never be an issue for me, if I match I will donate with no questions asked.
__________________ Quote: |
Originally Posted by Mark Latimour You can post new threads in the DB forum, but they will make fun of you and get angry and generally do grumpy old man things. | Quote: |
Originally Posted by Tigger It's hard to argue with a word like 'fraught'. | |
08-17-2005, 07:28 PM
|  | Musical Anarchist | | Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Sutton, MA | | | |
10-23-2005, 07:16 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Minneapolis, MN | | | Michael Brecker just got back from another round of chemo. I really hope he pulls through. I just saw a full-page statement in Bass Player magazine regarding his health, and what they are hoping to achieve by getting the word out.
If any of you can help in any way please do so. Get tested to find out if you're a match. Read the FAQ on his website to get more information.
__________________
A composer is a guy who goes around forcing his will on unsuspecting air molecules, often with the assistance of unsuspecting musicians. -- Frank Zappa
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