The University of Maine at Presque Isle’s Athletics program hosted a very successful marrow registry drive for those ages 18 to 44 on Wednesday, March 8, from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. in Wieden Hall, with more than 40 people registering. For thousands with blood cancers like leukemia or other diseases like sickle cell anemia, a marrow transplant is their only hope for life. The Athletics Program held the event after learning about Ally Little’s story. Little, a 20-year-old Stoneham native and University of Southern Maine student and member of the University’s Woman’s Soccer Team, was recently diagnosed with Severe Aplastic Anemia. SAA is a rare disease in which bone marrow stops producing healthy blood cells. A bone marrow transplant is currently the only cure for this disease. The UMPI Athletics Program is hoping to help find a match for Little and give hope to all patients in need of a bone marrow transplant.
