Members of the community will be holding a drive-thru bone marrow registry on Saturday as they try to find a match for a Highland Village girl in need of a bone marrow transplant.
Audrey Gronberg, a seventh-grader at Briarhill Middle School and daughter of Erik and Dr. Kim Gronberg, was recently diagnosed with severe aplastic anemia, a rare condition in which the body stops producing enough new blood cells. Four families who are friends with the Gronbergs are organizing a bone marrow registry event Saturday to try to find a life-saving match.
“We’re hoping and praying we find a match in the community,” said Tamara Lisby, one of the organizers.
The drive-thru registry is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at McAuliffe Elementary School in Highland Village. Residents who are interested in donating marrow can come park their car, swab their cheeks and get registered, a simple process that should take about 10 minutes. You won’t have to get out of your car, unless you want barbecue from the on-site food truck. Be The Match, an organization that manages the world’s largest marrow registry, will be there to collect the samples. It’s free to donate if you are between the ages of 18-44, but the cost is $100 if you are younger or older than that.
Lisby said they are expecting a significant turnout Saturday in support of Audrey and her family, which she said is “the most generous family I’ve ever met.”
“We are so desperate to help this little girl,” Lisby said. “She’s the sweetest thing in the world.”
If you are interesting in registering but unable to attend Saturday, text AUDREY to 61474 or go to join.bethematch.org/audrey and follow the instructions.
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