LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — A 10 second swab could mean a lifetime of change for Jonah Brown, who's been living with leukemia and is now in need of a life-saving bone marrow transplant.
"It only takes one to be a match for somebody else," said Jonah's father.
The Brown family teamed up with "Be The Match" to find a donor.
The challenge is that bone marrow donors have to come from people with similar genetic makeup.
"We match donors based on your ethnicity. Someone of another race can have the same blood type as me and they can donate blood to me, but God forbid I need a transplant, it has to be someone that genetically looks like me," explained coordinator Dannie Moore.
Right now, African Americans only make up 29% of the donor pool, which means a slim chance to find a match, and slimmer chances for survival.
This makes the need for diverse donors that much more important.
"It is important for us to remind everyone just how important it is to fight for life," said donor Rodney Mcfarland.
As he celebrates his 39th birthday, Jonah shared the same excitement in a phone call.
"I appreciate everyone showing up not just for me but for so many people that are fighting around the country and trying to find a donor. I'm fighting every day and I am just grateful for everyone showing that they have my back."
If you want to join the registry and see if you are a match for Jonah Brown, you can text "JoinForJonah" to 61474.
