Be The Match in St. Johns County this Friday | News

ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. - This Friday, you could help save a life.

Dr. Richard Townsend and his family have organized the "SpaME Run to Be The Match." Townsend planned the 5K race to help raise money to help add people to the national bone marrow donor program, Be The Match. 

To get on the donor registry, an interested donor only has to swab the inside of his or her cheek, but Townsend said the simple process can be expensive.

"It costs about $100 to process one swab, so we want people who are serious, but we need money to help process the swabs," explained Dr. Townsend.

That was where the idea for the race was born. Registering for the race costs $30, so it only takes about three runners to pay for processing one swab.

Townsend said he was inspired to do something for "Be The Match" after his daughter got tested for Leukemia about three years ago. He explained that even though his daughter turned out to be fine, he and his wife had done extensive research on bone marrow transplants and wanted to find a way to help.

"The fact is when someone needs a bone marrow transplant, about 25 percent of the time they are able to have a sibling give them that bone marrow," Dr. Townsend said. "But that means 75 percent of the time there is no match and that's what this registry is all about."

For more information go to: http://www.ultimateracinginc.com/Ultimate_Raing_Inc/Spa_ME_Run_2_Be_The_Match_5k.html

SpaME Run to Be the Match
Friday, October 12
6:30 p.m., Race day registration begins at 5:30 p.m.
St. Johns Gold and Country Club