CORNELIUS, N.C. (February 7, 2011) – This week NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams are hurrying to get equipment and cars loaded to leave for Daytona Beach, Fla. spending countless hours in preparation of the Mecca race of NASCAR.
As the Daytona 500 excitement builds on who will win arguably the race of the year, six-year-old Jordan Jemsek is looking for someone who will help her win the race of her life. Little Jordan is in the fight for her life against Acute Myeloblastic Leukemia (AML). A bone marrow transplant is Jordan’s only chance to win this fight.
In the midst of JTG Daugherty Racing’s Daytona team meeting led by Tad Geschickter, Bobby Labonte and crew chief Frank Kerr, team member Joey McCarthy told everyone in the room Jordan’s story he read in the Charlotte Observer. It touched him because he has a child Jordan’s age.
“We want to do anything we can to spread the word about Jordan and encourage people to get tested to see if they could be a possible match,” McCarthy said.
As McCarthy passionately told Jordan’s story, everyone immediately wanted to help somehow. Labonte and the JTG Daugherty Racing team have coordinated a special visit to see Jordan at Presbyterian Hemby Children’s Hospital today in hopes of lifting her spirits as well as her mom Kay.
“We’re going to see Jordan and find out how we can help her and others,” Labonte said. “They are looking for a match for her and it is getting close. We’re hoping to raise awareness for her and encourage people to visit www.GetSwabbed.org to find out more about bone marrow donation and how to get tested. We’ve all been touched by this. We’re going to the hospital to lift her spirits.”
For the 33rd annual Shootout on Saturday, February 12th, Reese Towpower® has donated the TV panel to place a photo of Jordan’s smiling face on the No. 47 Toyota and the website www.GetSwabbed.org to raise awareness on how to get tested in hopes of finding a bone marrow match for Jordan and others.
“We’re thankful for Reese Towpower’s support in our efforts to help Jordan,” Labonte said.
In a phone conversation with Jordan’s mom Kay on Thursday, she said they were looking forward to the team’s visit with Jordan.
“You are angels that were sent to us,” Kay said.
“People have been so kind to us,” Kay said in a recent interview with the Charlotte Observer. “There are not enough samples in the bank right now. If a match is not found for Jordan, my understanding is it could be used for somebody else and save somebody else’s life. It will be in Jordan’s honor. It’s all for good.”
On Saturday, March 5th from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. ET, a bone marrow drive will be held in honor of Jordan at St. Gabriel’s Catholic Church (3016 Providence Rd., Charlotte, NC 28211 in the Church Ministry Center Building, rooms D & E on the first floor). For more information, visit http://www.dkmsamericas.org/drives/help-save-jordan-and-others.
To order a quick and easy cheek-swab home test kit, visit www.marrow.org.
With Jordan’s drive and the home test kit, even if you’re not a perfect match for Jordan, your name gets added to the list and you may just be the perfect match for someone else out there.
