Blood and Donor Drive for Former Cyclist of the Month Sean Cryan This Weekend

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Sean Cryan, formerly the chair of the Seattle Bicycle Advisory Board, a Bike Business Forum member and associate principal at Mithun, is asking for your help and support as his family has once again been struck by tragedy.

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When we featured Sean as our Cyclist of the Month in August 2006, he recounted the story of being diagnosed with Severe Mitral Valve Regurgitation, a condition which led to open heart surgery. Four years later, his then 12-year-old daughter, Louisa, had to have a stem cell transplant from donated umbilical cord blood to cure her of leukemia.

And now, just two years since Louisa’s procedure, Sean has to have a transplant of his own.

Sean was recently diagnosed with Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS), a cancer of the bone marrow, and because of an underlying blood condition, neither Sean nor Louisa were able to have donations from their siblings or other relatives.

But thanks to generosity of people willing to give their stem cells to help others, both have been able to find matches from unrelated donors.

When Louisa was undergoing her treatment she used a total of 69 units of blood products. Summer is the slow season for blood donations so Sean and his family are asking the community to come out to the Ballard Boys and Girls Club’s blood and donor drive this Sunday in support of the Cryan family.

The blood and donor drive is taking place at the Ballard Boys and Girls Club, on 15th Ave NW & NW 65th St , this Sunday, July 8, from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m.

Becoming a donor is easy:

You have to be between the ages of 18 and 60 to be eligible for the donor roll, fill out a questionnaire and get a cheek swab so they can test you and have your information ready when the need arises for donors. No advance sign up is necessary, and the entire process should take about a half hour to complete. There is always a need for possible stem cell donors, but there is an urgent need for donors from minority and mixed races.

To give blood:

You have to be 16 or older to give blood, with a permission form for the parents and guardians of those from the ages 16 or 17. Blood donors should sign up in advance online at www.tinyurl.com/ballardboysandgirlsblooddrive. Please allow an hour for the whole process to be completed, and for you to be able to drink some juice and eat some cookies and get your energy levels back before you leave.

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“Sean Cryan, from Mithun, is a huge cyclist and Cascade supporter - and just a great person. His family story is one of tragedy and hope and triumph - and then, tragedy again and triumph (and we hope this is how their story ends). But there are others. Sean and his family are asking for help and support,” said Chuck Ayers, Executive Director of Cascade Bicycle Club. “If you can, please step up. There is more hope, compassion and community building with community action.”

 

 

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