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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, December 10, 2015 | 34 Fundraiser to help leukemia patients and families during holidays An Oakville fundraiser Saturday (Dec. 12) is aiming to alleviate the financial burden and stress of treatments for leukemia patients this holiday season. DonorDrive4Dorothy's inaugural Christmas Mix and Mingle is taking place at 6 p.m. at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 1494 Wallace Rd., in Oakville. It's meant to help ease some of the burden and bring holiday cheer to two leukemia patients and their families -- both patients are of black ethnicity and are undergoing treatment for a fighting chance to survive the disease. Dorothy Vernon-Brown is the face of the drive. Last summer, the Mississauga social convener and marketing specialist was diagnosed with cancer: acute myeloid leukemia. "Cancer not only affects the individual, it impacts an entire family. Our first Christmas Mix and Mingle is hoping to ease the burden of an unbearable situation for two leukemia patients and their families," said VernonBrown in a media release. According to her doctor, oncologist Mark Minden, Vernon-Brown has responded well to chemotherapy at Toronto's Princess Margaret Hospital, but the cancer cells could return within a year. To short-circuit this, he wants to transplant healthy stem cells into her blood stream -- something the hospital did 110 times last year. A need for donors Minden needs donors with compatible genetic makeup; and the more prospective donors in the pool, the greater the chance of a match. "During this season of joy and giving, we also want to inspire hope in other patients who need a stem cell match to survive, but do not have a related donor," said VernonBrown. At any time, 750 Canadians are waiting for a similar transplant. About 324,000 Canadians have signed up as potential matches -- waiting for a case where their immune system matches a patient's. That's why Vernon-Brown is now campaigning to find more stem cell donors, particularly from underrepresented genetic Health "Connected to your Community" Why Do Oakville Families Trust Us with All Their Dental Needs? CosmetiC & Family Dentistry · implants invisalign · Dentures... From start to Finish! CROWN/DENTURE REPAIRS & RELINES, WHILE YOU WAIT Mon. - Fri. 9am - 6pm Saturday 9am - 1pm seniors DisCount Free Consultations New patients & ChilDren welcoMe OAKVILLE'S ONLY DENTAL OFFICE WITH A LAB ON PREMISES Dorothy Vernon-Brown is campaigning to find more stem cell donors, particularly from underrepresented genetic pools like her own Jamaican heritage. The Mississauga resident is fighting acute myeloid leukemia. As the face of the DonorDrive4Dorothy campaign, Vernon-Brown is trying to bring awareness of a whole community put at extra risk by the reluctance to donate. | photo courtesy Donna Santos Photography pools like her own Jamaican heritage -- she also has mixed Irish heritage. According to the media release from Do- norDrive4Dorothy, those of black ethnicity are extremely underrepresented in Canada's see Saturday's on p.35 2274 Lakeshore Rd. W. (at East Street) Oakville 905-827-2066 · www.brontedentist.com Dr. Michael Vo d.m.d · Kim Chung d.d. an active healthy lifestyle starts here Fabio De Rango Pharmacist/Owner Voted Oakville's Favourite Pharmacist & Pharmacy Your best defense against the flu is the flu shot! Come and get your flu shot today. DE RANGO PHARMACY INC 478 Dundas Street West | 905-257-9737 Canada Post · Physiotherapy · Massage Therapy · Athletic Therapy · Shockwave Therapy · Osteopathy, Acupuncture and Laser Therapy DE RANGO PHARMACY INC 2501 Third Line | 905-465-3000 Open 24 Hours - 7 Days a Week 905.257.1904 www.beinmotion.ca 360 Dundas St. East Unit B2 at Trafalgar Rd., Oakville www.shoppersdrugmart.ca