Cancer seems impossible until it happens to the strongest, nicest, youngest people you know. Amy Cottrill Marsh, an Austin-based pro triathlete and close friend of many at Austin Tri-Cyclist, was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) on December 23. Treatment requires a bone marrow/stem cell transplant, and doctors are still looking for a suitable match.Sympathy is often a helpless emotion. Words can’t ever truly express it. You can never take someone else’s pain away, or share it, or even understand it. For Amy, however, we have the rare opportunity to individually and directly help, and in doing so, to show how much we care about her.
A bone marrow donor drive in Amy’s honor is being held this Saturday, January 24, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Austin Tri-Cyclist (Barton Springs location). With a simple cheek swab, you join 11 million people on the national donor registry, and if Amy or someone else is a match, you’re notified and told how you might be able to help save that person’s life. According to organization Sharing America’s Marrow, seven out of ten patients must seek a donor match on the national bone marrow registry, and less than half receive the transplant they need.
Proceeds from Race Around Austin, a gran fondo event put on by ATC Racing this Saturday, will benefit Amy. If you’re racing this weekend, consider making an extra effort on Amy’s behalf and join the bone marrow registry, donate to Amy's YouCaring site, or check out the Team Marsh blog for other ways to help. ATC is also donating $20 from every run shoe sale through the end of February.Useful links:
Information on Saturday’s event from Sharing America’s Marrow
Team Marsh Blog, where you can read Amy's story and updates on her care.
Brandon Marsh’s “How Can I Help?” post
YouCaring donation site
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