The Running Place Hosting Bone Marrow Registration Drive​

NEWTOWN SQUARE, PA – A blood-cancer fighting group and a local business are hosting a special event Saturday, March 10 in Newtown Square that is inviting the public to help grow the national bone marrow registry in memory of a young father who lost his battle with blood cancer last year.

The Running Place, located at 3551 West Chester Pike in Newtown Square, is teaming up with international nonprofit DKMS to host the event from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 10.

The event is in honor of Jason Kilderry, 35, a local father, athlete, and life/fitness coach from Philadelphia who recently lost his fight against Heptosplenic T-Cell lymphoma.

While Kilderry’s search for a matching donor was unsuccessful, it's the hope of The Running Place, whose staff were close friends with Kilderry, to help save the lives of the thousands of other blood cancer patients in need of a bone marrow transplant.

According to DKMS, 70 percent of people suffering from blood-related illnesses must rely on donors outside their families to save their life.

Swabbing your cheek is all it takes to register as a potential donor.

Those who register will be entered into a raffle for prizes such as shoes, gift certificates, apparel, and more.

Anyone in good general health who is between the ages of 18 and 55 can register. Registration involves filling out a simple form, understanding the donation methods, and swabbing the inside of each cheek for 30 seconds.

For more information on DKMS, to register or fund the mission, visit the DKMS website here..

DKMS is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to eradicating blood cancers such as Leukemia and other blood-related illnesses inspiring both men and women around the world to register as bone marrow and blood stem cell donors.

Image via Shutterstock