Bone Marrow Donor Drive to be Held for Sound Beach Woman

She always hoped to be someones hero; now she needs a hero of her own.

Dona Brannigan of Sound Beach is a Girl Scout Leader, a founding member of the North Shore Neighbors Breast Cancer Coalition, a parishioner of St. Anthony’s Church and a waitress at the Rocky Point Diner. One year ago, the mother of three left her shift at the Diner and drove out to Plainview for a cheek swab to become and donor.

Just over one year later, on Mother's Day, an inflamed bug bite sent her to the hospital and a shocking prognosis revealed she had Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) and would need a bone marrow transplant to survive.

In order to help find a donor, her friends and family are holding a bone marrow donor drive on July 31 at the Miller Place Firehouse on 12 Miller Place Rd.

Patti Kozlowski is an initiator of the drive.

"Anyone who knows me knows I am all about my community, helping my 'neighbors,' Kozlowski said. "This is getting so close to home... this is more than a neighbor this is my good friend. It's my turn to ask for support from my community. I need help for my friend."

Registrants must be between 18 and 55 years old and in good health.  If you can't make the drive, you can still register to be a donor here.