MARYVILLE, Mo. – Northwest Missouri State University’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee will be hosting a bone marrow drive.

The drive is designed to assist people in the Maryville community, including the Wendle family. Preslee Wendle was diagnosed with AML leukemia at 15 months old. She has undergone six rounds of chemotherapy and radiation.

“Our hope is to make a difference in the lives of others,” Maddie Propst, a member of the Bearcat women’s golf team and a junior elementary education major from Lawson, Missouri, said. “It is very hard to be a match to donate marrow to someone in need, but if we can grow the registry, there is a greater chance of matches being made.”

People interested in joining the registry can expect a 10-minute process to complete paperwork and have their cheek swabbed. Registrants who match with patients will be notified at a later date.  

“Our main goal is to get several people to join the registry,” Propst said. “We also want to take this opportunity to educate people about donating bone marrow. It is not always a surgical procedure.”

The drive take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday, April 17, at the Robert and Virginia Foster Fitness Center.

Interested individuals must be between the ages of 18 and 44 to be considered eligible. The event is free and open to the public.

For more information, contact Propst at [email protected].