Refuse to Lose: Fundraiser for Alli MacDonald

24-year-old Alexandra "Alli" McDonald, a BU graduate and military wife is a vibrant, beautiful and incredibly courageous woman who was diagnosed with acute lymphmatic leukemia just three weeks after giving birth to her second child.

Alli and her husband Matt are both recent BU grads with strong family ties to Broome County. When Alli was diagnosed with leukemia, Matt, a member of the United States Army, was rushed home from Afghanistan where he'd been defending our country to care for Alli and their two young children.  Alli's road will include long hospital stays as well as intensive medical treatment.  Because of this, Alli's family is hosting a fundraiser to help Alli and Matt defray costs associated with her treatment and care.

You're invited to show some love to Alli and her family by being part of the Refuse to Lose fundraiser this Friday, November 7th at the Vestal Hills Country Club from 6pm-10pm. Tickets are $7 in advance or $10 at the door. You can get your tickets by reaching out to Robyn at 607-765-4886 or Tonya at 607-761-0950.

The fundraiser will include vendors, basket raffles (including the chance to win a Callaway Razzor Fit Driver!), a pasta dinner, cash bar and DJ. This event is open to all ages. Alli is such a selfless woman and her wish is that those attending the fundraiser be given the chance to learn about the National Bone Marrow Donor program and be able to register on the spot through a simple swab test. So please take advantage of this opportunity to help save a life.

Alli is one of the lucky ones who was matched with a bone marrow donor, something that so many people never find. The reason so many never find the perfect match to save their life is because not enough people have joined the Bone Marrow Donor Registry.

Alli and her family have learned just as I did when my dad was fighting cancer that there's a major and urgent need for bone marrow and yet not a lot of people really know much about it. And there are a lot of myths that scare people away. So I’m going to dispel some of those myths right now.

Myth #1: You must go to a clinic to get tested and it involves a Goliath of a needle scary enough to make grown men cry. I hear this all the time and it’s not true. It all starts with a simple swab test. You send away for the kit, it comes in the mail, you swab your cheeks and send it off and they add you to the database. Of course there will be needles eventually. How else will they get the bone marrow out of you? But that doesn’t come until much later. And if you’ve survived an epidural and child birth you’re gonna be just fine with the procedure. Did I mention that at the fundraiser for Alli this Saturday there will be swab tests? As someone on the National Bone Marrow Registry, I promise you this test is NOT scary!

Myth #2- It costs an arm and a leg to donation if you end up being a match and it does funky things with your medical insurance. Actually, no. If you register to be a bone marrow donor with the National Marrow Donor Program, they won’t pay you for your marrow, but they’ll cover medical costs, reimburse all travel costs and provide other assistance as well. Can’t promise your boss will be so cool with giving you time off to save a life, but if they’re jerks about it, shame on them.

Myth #3- Once registered to be a bone marrow donor you can’t change your mind and if you’re a match you’ll be hunted down and forced to go through the procedure. As far as I know, we still live in a free country. And while I think it’d be pretty crummy of you to be a match for someone and then back out, it’s still your choice. If you change your mind that’s cool. But what’s not cool is dodging calls from the registry. If you’re a match for someone and you don’t have the guts to tell them you don’t want to donate, they won’t know to start looking for another donor right away and you can really put the person in need at risk of losing their life.

Please, if you can't stay for the whole duration of the fundraiser for Alli this Friday at the Vestal Hills Country Club, please at least consider stopping by and taking a swab test to get signed up to be a bone marrow donor. You never know, you could be the one who saves someone's life.

I leave you with this, a message from Alli:

September 10, 2014 my world changed forever. I went to the hospital with breathing issues, expecting some sort of routine issue and was told cancer. With a toddler, a newborn, a husband that was thousands of miles away and very little time to react I was thrust into this crazy world of cancer upside down and backwards. After more tests I was diagnosed with ALL, Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, a blood cancer most common in children and young adults. However despite the rocky start it didn't take long to get going the right way and moving forward. I owe that greatly in part to the wonderful support I have received from family, friends, neighbors and complete strangers. They have rallied behind me with love, positivity, strength and never ending faith. Faith in me, faith in God and faith that there is a bigger plan. I want to thank everyone that has helped plan this event and all those who plan to attend. I really wish I could be there with you all to celebrate, because that is how I view this amazing night. It's a celebration of life, of the ending of phase one of my treatment and the start of phase two, of clear bone marrow and of the generosity and love people can have for one another. God bless!