Date: February 5, 2013
by: Pam Eubanks | Managing Editor

Nancy Newby is a teacher at McNeal Elementary School.

Friends and businesses are rallying around an East County teacher battling a form of cancer in the blood and are seeking help in finding a bone marrow match.

Nancy Newby, a teacher at McNeal Elementary School, is suffering from multiple myeloma, a form of cancer in the blood.

This week, several campaigns are being carried out by The Icla da Silva Foundation, a recruitment center for Be the Match, to help Newby find a match.

A successful marrow or cord blood transplant can help a recipient live a longer and healthier life, but it often takes more than 100,000 registered donors for a match to be found.

Persons registering to be a possible donor will fill out a registration with their personal information and do a swab on the inside of each of their cheeks to determine the tissue type. Confidentiality is guaranteed.

Campaign drives are being held:
• From 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Feb. 6, at Bradenton Urgent Care, 4647 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton
• From 3 to7 p.m. Feb. 6, at Lakewood Ranch Urgent Care, 9908 State Road 64 E., Bradenton
• From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 7, at Sarasota Urgent Care, 6272 Lake Osprey Drive, Sarasota.

Individuals also may make financial contributions at www.bethematchfoundation.org/goto/nancynewby.

Individuals registered and not found to be a match with Newby will stay on the register until they are 60 years old, in case they can be a match for another patient.

Contact Pam Eubanks at peubanks@yourobserver.com.