Armed with a backpack, sleeping bag and tent, she’s walking
across the United States.
“It’s a journey that benefits me on a personal level and helps
to give back for the great blessing our family has received,” said
traveler Jeana Moore, who is passing through Sebastopol on her way
to San Francisco, then L.A. and ultimately to New York.
Her departure began in Seattle,WA on Oct. 19 and the blessing
that initiated the excursion came in the form of a bone marrow
transplant received by her granddaughter, Jada, who was only
7-months old at the time.
Born with acute myeloid leukemia, the procedure helped to save
Jada’s life but finding just the right match was not an easy task,
and the waiting game was painful.
“Nobody in the United States matched, and so we went to the
International Bone Marrow Registry,” Moore said. “As it turned out
there was only one man in the world who matched Jada. He was 30
years old and lived in Germany.”
There are millions of potential bone marrow donors out there,
but they’re not registered, so Moore is aiming to change that by
raising awareness about the importance of becoming a donor.
“There is a lot of misconception about what it’s like to be a
bone marrow donor. It elicits fear in people, but it’s not as
invasive as most people expect,” said Moore, who wants to talk to
people face to face and tell them how important it is to make this
commitment, and what a difference it can make for a family.
The first steps involve registration, and a cheek swab.
“Often it is as simple as giving plasma,” Moore said.
Depending on the situation, things can get more complicated,
involving doctor visits and a series of shots, but this is not
always the case, and modern technology has made the process much
simpler than in years past.
But according to Moore, people are still not signing up.
“Out of those who need bone marrow transplants, only two out of
10 will find a match. Everyday I talk to people about how they can
join the online registry,” she said.
Along with many other cities across the United States,
Sebastopol may be one to host a bone marrow donor drive.
“I’m currently working with Sebastopol’s hospital, Rotarian
groups, the mayor and the city council to organize this,” said
Moore, who is probably walking the bike path by now, on her way out
of Santa Rosa enroute to San Francisco.
Moore and Jada, who is a healthy 2 1/2-year-old now, talk daily
on the phone.
“I think she’s a little confused about what I’m doing,” said
Moore, who took care of Jada part-time when she was healing from
the bone marrow transplant.
“We all began putting our lives back together at that time. My
daughter and son-in-law returned to work,” Moore said.
It was then that Moore began walking three miles a day.
“There are definite benefits to walking, it gives me a peace of
mind. It’s a physical thing that adds to my mental health and
well-being,” she said.
For more information go to stepstomarrow.com.
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at www.sonomawest.com.
Kimberly Kaido-Alvarez can be reached at ki*@so********.com.
