11-Year-Old Seeks Bone Marrow Donor

Kyle Markes is not unlike most 11-year-old boys his age: He’s gregarious, smart, funny, outgoing and athletic. 

However, there is one very critical thing that does in fact set Kyle apart from most: Last year, Kyle was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, cancer of the blood and bone marrow.

Unlike other cancers, LLC doesn't produce tumors, but it spreads quickly to other parts of the body like the liver, spleen, and lymph nodes. And without treatment, acute lymphocytic leukemia can be fatal in a few months.

“Whenever kids come down with these types of sicknesses, they are always resilient. And Kyle is no different,” said Antonia Thompson, a friend of the family who went to college with Kyle’s mother.

“To see him go from being a healthy, loving and outgoing kid, to being in chemotherapy is just devastating. But he is very upbeat and positive and hopeful.”

Kyle, who is of Jamaican decent, lives in Stamford, Connecticut. He needs a bone marrow transplant immediately. However, identifying a bone marrow match is different than simply matching a person's blood type, in that everything must match up perfectly by ethnicity.

“There are 10.5 million registered done marrow donors and only 7 percent are African-American or black and even fewer are Jamaican,” said Thompson. “His immediate family is not a match.”

So currently, Kyle's parents and friends are organizing donor drives throughout Connecticut and in other places where there is a higher concentration of people of Caribbean descent.

There have been two drives so far. The next one will take place in Bed-Stuy on Saturday, July 27, from 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. at Brooklyn Baby Cakes, located at 506 Nostrand Avenue.

To see if someone is a match, a simple cotton swab swipe will be taken. Help will be provided to complete simple paperwork on site. There is no cost to register and insurance is not required. If a match is found, the potential donor will be contacted by phone.

“He’s been doing a lot of watching the news and reading, and he sees how supportive the community is around him,” said Thompson. “We really need to step up in the community and look out for our children.

“That’s why we’re doing this for Kyle. We’re really out for him.”

A spokesperson is available to talk about Kyle's case prior to Saturday: Jennifer St. Peter 401-248-5762 cell 401-714-6240. At the bone marrow drive on Saturday, Kyle's mother, Jackqueline Markes, will be on hand to discuss her son's illness.

Correction 4/25/13, 8:50 am: Please note, the time of the donor drive has been updated and corrected to reflect 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.