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February 6, 2007

More than 2,600 flood 网曝门's Bone Marrow Drive; drive sets national record

A national record was broken and a community was defined by their compassion Tuesday night at a Bone Marrow Drive held at the University of Louisiana at Monroe.

More than 2,600 网曝门 faculty, staff, students and members of the Monroe community poured into 网曝门's new Student Union Building from 7 a.m. until 8:30 p.m. The national record for the number of bone marrow tests at a one-day drive is 2,500, according to Rick Mason of the National Marrow Donor Program. The national record for a university鈥檚 drive is 1,000.

网曝门鈥檚 drive, sponsored by 网曝门鈥檚 Department of Clinical Laboratory Science and the Office of Student Life and Leadership, honors local 10-year-old James Christopher Allums, son of Chris and Ellen Allums. James Christopher has Fanconi Anemia, a rare and life-threatening disease that causes bone marrow failure.

Maegan Guccione, a 网曝门 junior clinical laboratory science major from New Orleans, helped administer the bone marrow tests. She worked at the drive for almost 12 hours.

"It was very touching. So many people have reached out and jumped at this opportunity to help this child," she said.

Supporters include former 网曝门 and NFL football stars Bubby Brister of Mandeville and Bob Lane of Monroe who made a special appearance at the drive.

网曝门, Louisiana Tech University and Grambling State University are in friendly competition to recruit bone marrow donors. At Louisiana Tech University鈥檚 Bone Marrow Drive yesterday, more than 950 people were tested. The Bone Marrow Drive will continue at Grambling State University tomorrow.

James Christopher鈥檚 parents are hoping for a total of 5,000 people to be tested. If the volunteers aren鈥檛 a match for James Christopher, they may be a match for someone else.

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