A bit of hopeful news. 6MP.

Of the five people OHSU has identified as potential good matches one has made contact.  What this means is that the person agreed to come in for a blood test that provides more detailed genetic information (and, hopefully, confirms them as a donor) and checks their present state of health.  At this point we wait some more.

In the mean time we are continuing to test related donors.  A related donor - a cousin, for example - might be a slightly more favorable match than a completely non-related donor.  A large national campaign is still an option, should we need it, yet we are reluctant to start immediately.

People related to Zevi by blood, should they choose to get tested, are requested to contact me for an expedited process.  We have an account set up at a testing facility right here in Portland.

Those who wish to be added to the registry - maybe to help Zevi, maybe to help someone else - please, please go to bethematch.org and sign up.  The test is free and easy (though processing time is not terribly fast).  Alternatively you may choose to work with giftoflife.org, a Jewish registry.  Ultimately, all data is pulled when a search is performed.  Whatever organization you work with, you do a great thing.

In the mean time Zevi was started on very low dose of a drug called 6MP.  It is a chemo drug, but Zevi gets it in very mild amounts.  Hopefully Zevi will tolerate it and, in turn, the drug will make him feel better.  So far it as has gone "OK" - the drug is not much good if it is thrown up.  One day at a time.

In other news: I am resolving some of my personal IT problems and cute pictures should resume shortly.

Zevi at the second visit to OHSU, late April 2014