Lisa Schumacher is 47 years old. Lisa, her husband Gus and their son Samuel have lived in Ashburn for the past 14 years.
On Feb. 23, 2009, Lisa was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL). She has been undergoing chemotherapy treatments at Inova Fairfax Hospital since her diagnosis. While chemotherapy helped put the disease into remission, it cannot permanently keep this form of leukemia in remission.
The only hope for a cure is through a bone marrow transplant. Lisa has two siblings, and had hoped that either one would have been a matched donor for her. Unfortunately, as is often the case, neither sibling was a match. In fact, 70 percent of all bone marrow transplant operations are made possible through an unrelated donor.
Samuel Schumacher and his mom, Lisa
Lisa is a member of Our Savior’s Way Lutheran Church, which is hosting a Mother’s Day Bone Marrow Screening at the church, located at 43115 Waxpool Road, Ashburn, on Sunday, May 10 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Persons interested in helping can have a DNA sample taken, using a simple cheek swab. The test is done at cost ($52) by the National Bone Marrow Program. For more information, call the parish nurse at 703-729-1228.
The National Marrow Donor Program estimates that there are currently around five million donors listed in its databases, and approximately 27,000 new donors are added each month.
Donors are the only way that someone like Lisa can receive another chance at life. Sometimes we cannot pay back the generosity that we have received from others, and the only thing left to do is to “pay it forward” through an act of random kindness.
Please consider becoming a bone marrow donor. You could help save a life – maybe even help Lisa. To learn more about Lisa Schumacher and her story, please visit www.caringbridge.org/visit/lisaschumacher.
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