Blood, marrow drive to benefit Valley girl
Families at St. Joseph’s School in the Valley have organized a blood drive for the Puget Sound Blood Center, where people can also obtain a bone marrow test kit, to find out how they can help to donate bone marrow.
The event, slated for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, Aug. 1, at St. Joseph’s Parish, 220 Mountain Park Boulevard Southwest in Issaquah, is a benefit to help 9-year-old Natalie Smith of North Bend, who has leukemia.
Natalie was first diagnosed with leukemia two years ago, shortly before her seventh birthday. Last month, her cancer returned, and she spent her ninth birthday at Children’s Hospital.
Doctors discovered that Natalie needs a bone marrow transplant. Her family members have been tested and are not suitable donors. The family is now trying to find a donor from the national registry, which includes about five million potential donors. They hope to do the transplant in August.
At the upcoming blood drive, people can pick up a bone marrow test kit, without donating blood. The simple test involves rubbing a cotton swab inside your mouth. Once a sample is tested, a potential donor can be included on the national registry. Donators can also give funds to help cancer research, through the Friends Guild established in Natalie’s name. For more information about the Friends Guild, visit www.FriendsGuild.org.
To learn more about the upcoming blood and bone marrow drive, call Debby at (206) 296-8560.
Consignment sale planned for families
The “Kids Sale,” a two-day community consignment sale for infants, children and moms-to-be, is planned for Friday and Saturday, Aug. 8 and 9, at the Cascade View Elementary School gym. The sale is a way for families to recycle their children’s outgrown clothing, furniture and toys, by signing up as a consignor. Families tag their items for sale and drop them off the day before the event.Items are sold for well below retail price, and consignors keep 70 percent of their sales, or more, if they sign up to volunteer at the sale. Mike’s Cascade Grill donated a $40 gift card to be raffled. Part of the proceeds go to the Cascade View and Snoqualmie Elementary Parent-Teacher-Student Associations.
For more information, call (206) 321-1381, e-mail to christina@thekidssale.com or visit www.TheKidsSale.com.
