By By ANDY HAMILTON / Niles Daily Star
NILES – The Masonic Temple in Niles is looking for a partner to provide bone marrow testing at a June 23 blood drive.
Bob Chute, chairman of the blood drive for the Masonic Temple, said the organization is hoping to find monetary support that would pay for a service that uses donated blood to be sent out, checked and placed on the bone marrow registry. The average cost of the service is about $125 per test, and if there is a partner to help pay Chute said more people may register to donate extra blood for bone marrow.
Marrow or blood cell transplants are used to treat leukemia, lymphoma and other blood diseases by replacing unhealthy blood cells.
"What we're looking for is help to make it into a blood drive with bone marrow testing," Chute said. "The lodge will do a couple and then if we can get two or three other groups or businesses to do a couple that would be great."
The blood drive is being held at the Masonic Temple, 227 1/2 E. Main St., from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in conjunction with the Arts in Motion festival by Niles Main Street. Donators agree to provide an extra vile of blood specifically for the bone marrow test.
"That way we can get some walk-ins," Chute said. "I would be tickled to death to get between five and ten people to [donate bone marrow]."
The Masonic Temple annually hosts a blood drive.
"I think that's a good community thing," Chute said. "All the blood goes local."
Anyone interested in helping with the Masonic Temple blood drive can call the organization at (269) 683-2828.