Singing River Health System Holds Bone Marrow Drive

Singing River Health System is rallying behind one of their surgeons, Dr. Jeremy Simpler. Simpler was diagnosed with leukemia and now needs a bone marrow transplant.

While bone marrow transplants are most commonly needed for leukemia patients, it can be difficult to find a match. Two possible matches have been found for Dr. Simpler, but Singing River is still making it a priority to get as many people registered as possible. This makes it more likely that future patients can find a match and that Dr. Simpler will get the transplant he needs.

One doctor at Singing River donated bone marrow in the past and now is encouraging others to register. Dr. Glen Hull, Internal Medicine, Singing River Hospital, says, “In the case I was involved in as a donor, they actually had to do the aspiration. But again, you’re giving the gift of life, so the pain that I did have during the procedure was well worth the fact that the person I was able to donate to, at least the last I heard, was back to his normal daily activities.”

Wednesday, participants took a cheek swab, which will put them in a national registry for possible bone marrow transplants.