Bone Marrow Drive Will Help Paramus Student

Visitors to on Saturday will have a chance to help a young boy beat a rare blood disorder.

TJ Franson, a 7-year-old student, has Aplastic anemia. Those who have the condition can't produce enough new blood cells, leaving them tired and at a higher risk of infections and uncontrolled bleeding, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Franson needs a bone marrow transplant. On Saturday, from 2pm to 6pm, the Friends of TJ Foundation, set up to help Franson, together with Community Blood Services and the Be the Match bone marrow registry, are collecting cheek swab samples.

The drive, to be held in the high school's big gym, will help find a potential donor for Franson.

The community has rallied around Franson, said Michelle Limbacher, a teacher at PHS and friend of the Fransons. She was part of a group of volunteers selling buttons, bracelets and T-shirts at the Thanksgiving football game.

For Franson, a big Star Wars fan, the bracelets say, "May the force be with TJ." 

Limbacher said at halftime that they'd sold more than 6,000 buttons and 150 bracelets.

Proceeds from the annual bonfire held by the PHS Student Government Association went toward the Friends of TJ Foundation and will offset the costs of a bone marrow transplant operation. Ryan Aupperlee, a PHS teacher and SGA co-advisor, said sales of baked goods at the bonfire alone earned $400.

Franson was first diagnosed with the condition in October. The symptoms were already affecting him before that, though. He has yet to attend school this fall.

To participate in Saturday's drive requires only a painless cheek swab. Doing so will put participants on a national registry of bone marrow donors.

Aupperlee pointed out that taking part in the drive helps address a national need for bone marrow donors.

"We're trying to get anyone and everyone on that registry," he said.

Participants should be between 18 and 60 years old. For more information, visit the Friends of TJ Facebook page.

An earlier version of this article said participants should be between 18 and 30 years old. That was incorrect. Participants can be up to 60 years old.