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| MacLachlan (L) Linares (R) |
State Legislators Encourage Constituents to Help Coach
State Senator Art Linares (R-33), and State
Representatives Jesse MacLachlan (R-35) and Robert Siegrist (R-36) today
called for eligible residents to visit the Be the Match website to see
if they can help a local field hockey coach.
Longtime Haddam-Killingworth
field hockey coach Patsy Kamercia was diagnosed with a rare form of
cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow. She needs a bone marrow
to treat her
Myelodysplastic/
Sen.
Linares said, “I’ve been told that Ms. Kamercia has been a selfless
volunteer who started the Haddam-Killingworth High School Field Hockey
Team 40 years ago
and continues to coach the team in her retirement. When I learned about
her illness, I knew we needed to get the word out to encourage as many
people as we can to get tested as a possible match for her.”
A bone marrow drive was held for Kamercia at Haddam-Killingworth High School last week, but people can visit
Be the Match to get a testing kit sent to their house. All that is required is a cheek swab to test for a DNA match.
Rep.
MacLachlan said, “As a teacher and coach, Ms. Kamercia had a tremendous
impact on her students and the young women she coached. The website
describes the donation
process, which generally is uncomfortable and has minor side effects.
It’s not as dramatic or traumatic as Hollywood makes it seem.”
Be
the Match says most donations are taken from the arm, but some may be
taken from a donor’s pelvic bone, which involves giving the donor
anesthesia.
Rep.
Siegrist said, “For people with Ms. Kamercia’s disease, receiving
healthy stem cells from a donor is the only treatment. Even if you are
not a genetic match
for her, you may be the match that saves someone else’s life. Also, as
an alumnus of Haddam-Killingworth High School, I am proud to support Ms.
Kamercia and this great organization.”
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