Renowned jazz musician, Michael Brecker, has been diagnosed with MDS(myelodysplastic syndrome) and it’s critical that he has a bone marrow or blood stem cell transplant. The initial search for a donor, including Michael’s siblings and children, has not resulted in a suitable match. Susan Brecker now hopes to have as many people tested as possible that share a similar genetic background as her husband. She lists some important points to understand concerning this process:

1. The screening involves only a blood test. It can be done very easily at a
donor center of the National Marrow Donor Program [NMDP]. The blood test
identifies your HLA tissue type. The cost for the test is generally 0 to
5 depending on the donor center and the lab that completes the test. After

1. The screening involves only a blood test. It can be done very easily at a
donor center of the National Marrow Donor Program [NMDP]. The blood test
identifies your HLA tissue type. The cost for the test is generally 0 to
5 depending on the donor center and the lab that completes the test. After
this initial testing all medical expenses are paid for by the patient or the
patient’s insurance. Go to http://www.marrow.org or call 1-800-MARROW-2 to find
the donor center nearest you. In NYC, you can make an appointment with
Frazier at the NY Blood Bank [212-570-3441 / 310 East 67th Street]. The
test is 0. If it’s difficult to make it to a blood center, private kits
are available from Tepnel Life Codes [800-915-3695]. Order the “HLA
[A][B][DR]” kit for 40. You will need to have a small vial of blood drawn.
Indicate to Tepnel that your test is for “Michael Brecker” and they will
know to whom to forward your results.

2. As a volunteer donor, you are never legally obligated to donate. A late
decision not to donate, however, can be life-threatening to a patient and
among the most disheartening news a family can ever receive. Consider your
decision to be a donor carefully. Thanks.

3. Should you be selected as a potential donor for Michael or any other
patient, please understand that there have been tremendous advances in “bone
marrow transplants” and the term itself can be misleading. At major cancer
centers, blood stem cells can, in nearly all instances, be harvested
directly from your blood. A donor is simply connected to a machine that
separates the needed cells before the donor’s blood reenters his/her system.
On occasion such cells may have to be harvested directly from your bone
marrow. All the necessary precautions are taken to ensure the donor’s
well-being and safety. In the event you’re asked to donate blood stem cells,
a volunteer will first receive a thorough physical examination—at no cost to
him or herself.

4. A match for Michael would be most likely come from those of Eastern
European Jewish descent. If you or anyone you know are in this category
please make a special effort to immediately get tested. Please also note
that testing is free for minority groups at NMDP blood centers. Ultimately,
you would be doing something not just for Michael, but for so many more whom
are in a similar situation as my husband.

5. You are now part of our internet-based drive for donor testing. If
everyone who receives this email can motivate a bunch of their friends to
get tested, and those friends then forward the email to get their friends to
get tested, we will have rapidly expanded the pool of potential donors. I
urge all of you to get tested AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

Finally, any local National Marrow Donor Program donor center can assist in
organizing a drive for Michael, although it would be desirable if you can
get a large group, e.g. a synagogue, to sponsor it. The “Gift of Life,” an
organization whose mission is to increase the representation of the Jewish
people in the bone marrow donor pool will test you for free when part of a
donor drive organized through “Gift of Life.” For further information call
561.988.0100 http://www.giftoflife.org. There exist other organizations that
have a similar mission for African Americans, Asians, Hispanics, etc.
Whatever your roots, please get tested to assist others!

Should you have any questions about any of this, do not hesitate to get in
touch with Michael’s management office at 212.302.9200 or
[email protected]

Michael Brecker is 56 and an internationally renowned jazz musician. As a
result of his harmonic innovations, Michael is among the most studied
contemporary instrumentalists in music schools throughout the world today.
Michael has recorded and performed with a virtual Who’s Who of hundreds of
Jazz and pop giants including McCoy Tyner, Herbie Hancock, James Taylor,
Chick Corea, Chet Baker, George Benson, Quincy Jones, John Lennon, Charles
Mingus, Joni Mitchell, Aerosmith, Paul Simon, Wynton Marsalis, Frank
Sinatra, James Brown, Bruce Springsteen, Steely Dan, Pat Metheny, Billy Joel
and Elton John. As a leader and co-leader of The Brecker Brothers (with
Randy Brecker) and Directions in Music (with Herbie Hancock and Roy
Hargrove), Michael has received 11 Grammy Awards-more than any saxophonist.

For further information, go to http://www.michaelbrecker.com