Deployed Airmen register for marrow program

Published Nov. 20, 2006
By Staff Sgt. Celena Wilson
379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

SOUTHWEST ASIA -- The faces on posters that call attention to a number of worthwhile volunteer causes are often lost in the hustle of accomplishing the daily mission. However, the association of one poster to a deployed Airman at a recent drive in Southwest Asia put a face on the critical need for all to register as bone marrow donors.

The base-wide campaign drew 685 new registrants to the C.W. Bill Young Department of Defense Marrow Donor Program. It was held in memory of Cavion Holloway, the son of Staff Sgt. Danielle and Billy Holloway, who passed away Sept. 28, 2005, after an 18-month battle with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Sergeant Holloway, deployed to the 379th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C., organized this drive, the second since her son's death. Her driving force: to help find bone marrow matches so no one has to experience what she did.

"I just get chills every time," Sergeant Holloway said. "In fact, (since) the last drive we held, one guy has already gotten a phone call as a potential match. And it just brings great joy to me that maybe I'm preventing another mother from feeling the pain I feel everyday."

It did not take much to be a part of this cause.

"All it took was a cotton swab and filling out a form," said Senior Airman Amanda Groven, 379th Air Expeditionary Wing. "It was so easy. Everyone who can register, should. There were no needles, no blood. But there was a lot of information and eager people to share it."

With the help of 63 volunteers, the registration area was bustling throughout the day and even past the scheduled closing time.

"The event ran smoothly, wait times were minimal and all because of the amazing volunteers from across the base," said Chief Master Sgt. Arvin Davis, 379th AEW command chief master sergeant. "Because of the volunteers' hard work and donors' strength of character, our Air Force family will always answer the call and share the ultimate gift of hope with others; not only with this bone marrow drive, but with the mission we perform day in and day out across three theaters of operation."

Among the volunteers and new registrants was Staff Sgt. Galicia Castillo.

"I wanted to volunteer because I met Sergeant Holloway at Seymour Johnson, and she told me about her son and what he had gone through," she said. "I am also a mother of two children, and I can't imagine losing one of them. I have peace of mind because I know my part helped increase the amount of registered donors and gave other parents hope."

Senior Master Sgt. Tony Nussbaum was inspired to volunteer after hearing Sergeant Holloway's story and because of a friend's battle with cancer back home.

"I have a great friend at my home station that is going through chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant," he said. "He hasn't had much luck matching up with a donor. The more people we can get added to the registry, the more people who can be saved. We had almost 700 people register, and it only takes one to help someone."

After the last form was processed and the last envelope sealed, all of the samples and forms were packaged up and shipped to the U.S. the same night.