South Orange Father, Husband Needs Marrow Donor, Family Says

SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — Merlo Weiss of South Orange was a successful corporate event producer. But when he got a chance to become a stay-at-home dad to a 9-year-old son, Weiss and his husband, David, looked forward to a bright future filled with happy memories.

Now, the Weisses are asking for help safeguarding that dream.

The family recently put out a call for a donor who can provide a lifesaving stem cell/bone marrow transplant after Weiss, 45, was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). See the online campaign here.

Because matches are associated with ancestry, Weiss, a native Chilean who moved to New Jersey, is in particular need of a Hispanic donor. However, everyone is encouraged to get swabbed to help find a match, according to spokespeople with the Gift of Life Marrow Registry.

There are several ways the community can get involved to help Weiss, a world traveler and avid tennis player, to find a match.

• Joining the Registry - As more people join the registry, the chances of finding a match continue to increase.
• Holding a Donor Drive - More people are needed to help register new donors for testing. To organize a drive, interested volunteers can contact Russell Lowe (rlowe@giftoflife.org)
• Contributing Funds - Each swab kit costs $60 for volunteers to join the registry and find out if they are a match for Weiss or another patient in need.
• Sharing Merlo’s Story - Building as much awareness as possible will help get the word out to over 50 million Hispanics in the United States alone—and one just might be Weiss’s lifesaver.

Don’t forget to visit the Patch South Orange Facebook page here. Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site here. Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com

Photo: The Weiss family (used with permission)