I got this a few days ago and need to pass it on to you out there. I had heard that my friend Michael Brecker
was pretty sick in the past few months; the letter that I'm going to
share with you told me how much more serious the situation is for him.
If you don't know who Michael is, let me tell you a
little about this remarkable man. He is a Grammy winning musician and
composer, a great husband and father, a funny, warm and smart man and
perhaps the greatest saxaphone player I have ever had the honor of
working for and with.
This is the body of a letter sent out by his wife Susan a few weeks ago:
Dear Family and Friends,
Michael Brecker |
My husband, Michael Brecker,
has been diagnosed with MDS (myelodysplastic syndrome), and it's
critical that he undergoes a stem cell transplant. The initial search
for a donor (including Michael's siblings and children) has not yet
resulted in a suitable match. Michael's doctors have told us that we
need to immediately explore ALL possible options. This involves getting
as many people of a similar genetic background to be tested.
There are some important points to understand concerning this process:
1. The screening involves a blood test only. It can be done very
quickly either at a marrow donation center or at a LOCAL LAB. The cost
is anywhere from $40 to $75 and your insurance may cover it. (In NYC,
you can call Frazier, at the NY Blood Bank, at 212-570-3441, and make
an appointment for HLA typing. It costs $40.00.) Check with your local
blood bank, or go to www.marrow.org to find the donor center nearest you.
2. Your blood typing information can be posted on the international
registry, if you choose, where it would also be available to others in
need of a transplant. BEING ON THE REGISTRY DOESN'T MEAN YOU HAVE TO
DONATE, it just means that you may be ASKED to do so. You can take your
name off the registry at any time.
3. Should you be selected as a potential donor for Michael, please
understand that there have been tremendous advances in bone marrow
transplants and the term itself can be misleading. Bone marrow donation
is no more invasive than giving blood. Stem cells are simply harvested
from your blood and then transplanted to Michael.
4. A match for Michael would be most likely to come from those of
Eastern European Jewish descent. If you or anyone you know are in this
category please make a special effort to immediately get tested.
Ultimately, you would be doing something not just for Michael, but for
so many more who are in a similar situation as my husband.
5. You are now part of our internet-based drive for donor testing. If
everyone who receives this can motivate a bunch of their friends to get
tested, and those friends then forward this email to get their friends
to get tested, we will have rapidly expanded the pool of potential
donors. I urge all of you to get tested AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
Any local blood center/Red Cross center can assist in organizing a
drive for Michael, although it would be desirable if you can get a
large group, e.g. a synagogue, to sponsor it. Should you have any
questions about this, please don't hesitate to get in touch with
Michael's management office at 212.302.9200 or info@michaelbrecker.com.
Thank you so much for your love and support.
We are so grateful.
Susan xo
For any further information about helping Michael,
the condition he is fighting and to clarify the part you can play in
helping him, go to his website www.michaelbrecker.com.
There are two other things I want to say about
this situation before I close this post; first, if the words "stem
cell" crossed your brain and you have either fear or a moral issue
about this, realize that this treatment has nothing to do with
embryonic stem cells. Please go read the FAQ's at the Brecker website
if you have any questions.
The other thing is this; it's not that Michael is
a celebrity or a musical treasure that makes this appeal important,
it's that he is another human being. Becoming registered for this
appeal could help one of your family members, a friend or a stranger
someday. But also hear this: my doing it could also help you. So often
we sit on our hands or become afraid of death, pain, suffering or
becoming "involved". I say this because I'm guilty of it myself. What's
so wrong with being "involved"?
This is a small thing you can do to help
someone else. We as a community can do something to help him and his
family. We could take this step and help each one another in the future.
On a personal note, I'd like to extend my love
and support to Michael, Susan and the entire Brecker family now. There
no excuse for the delay in reaching out. I hope that today Bitterman
Circle can be used for good, perhaps to find Michael some help or to
cause someone to change their mind about doing something for someone
else.
I worked with Michael on the "Born At The Right
Time" tour in 1991-92, some other PS projects, a Brecker Brothers tour
of the West Coast and a few jazz fests. I love what he brings to the
table musically and I love him. Go get a friggin' blood test today and
see if you can help him. I'm going to as soon as I get home.
To bloggers, fans, lurkers, etc... please repost this or email it or a link to it...let's spread the word.
(Extra thanks to Gary G. for the wake up call and Jambase.com for blowing the horn and their nice layout...)
8:32:53 AM 
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