A stem cell drive is Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Friday Harbor Presbyterian Church for Matt Johnson, a 1992 graduate of Friday Harbor High School who has been diagnosed with Myelodysplastic Syndrome.

This very rare blood disease is a precursor to Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Johnson’s only hope for a cure is a stem cell transplant.

Johnson and his wife, Jackie (formerly Jackie King), also a Friday Harbor High School graduate, and their four children live in Lake Stevens, where Johnson is an electrical contractor.

Their children are Dustin, 7; Tesa, 4; and twin girls Taylor and Jordyn, 15 months.

Johnson’s MDS is an aggressive form and it’s critical that he find a match immediately.

To determine if you’re a match, you offer a simple saliva sample. Potential donors will be listed in the National Bone Marrow Registry, which also lists possible stem cell donors.

The cost of the test is $25, but the cost will be taken care of by Johnson’s families if someone cannot afford to pay.

For more information on how you can help, visit http://www.psbc.org. Or call Margaret Johnson, 472-0123; or Greg King, 378-2151.

The King and Johnson families appreciate the community’s efforts.

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