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406 SPEERS RD., OAKVILLE ACROSS FROM RONA LANSING 905-337-2066 w w w. c o b b l e s t o n e m b e rs . c a MASONRY & FIREPLACE DESIGN SPECIALISTS Receive an extra $50.00 off your fireplace purchase with this coupon. Offer ends Dec. 4/2010 w w w . o a kv ill eb ea ve r.c o m O A KV IL LE B EA V ER W e dn es da y, N ov em be r 2 4, 2 01 0 1 6 By David Lea OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF The fire that is David Smyths legacy spread to Queens Park earlier this month as MPPs took action to try and increase the number of people on Canadas bone marrow donor registry. Smyth, an Oakville resident, spent the last few weeks of his life this summer trying to raise awareness of the need for more Canadians to get a simple cheek swab test to see if they could potentially save the life of someone in need of a bone marrow trans- plant. On Sept. 3, Smyth lost his life to a severe form of leukemia while waiting for such a transplant. He was only 20 years old. On Nov. 3, Smyths parents Mike and Kim were invited to Queens Park where Oakville MPP Kevin Flynn made a special announcement. Right now there over 800 Canadian patients who are in desperate need of a stem cell transplant to treat potentially life threat- ening illnesses. Currently there are more than a quarter of a million Canadians who are registered on the Canadian Blood Services OneMatch Stem Cell and Marrow Network. OneMatch is a program dedicated to recruiting healthy, committed volunteer donors for patients in need of stem cell transplants, but they need more and we can do more, said Flynn. A few minutes ago it was my pleasure to announce the MPP Challenge in Honour of David Smyth. Im asking each and every member of the legislature from all par- ties to host a clinic, like the one that is taking place right now in room 163, in their own riding and encourage their own con- stituents to get registered with the OneMatch program. Im also urging all those at Queens Park today between the ages of 17 and 50 who may be viewing this on TV to go down right now to Room 163 and register as a donor and perhaps save a life like Davids. With his statement complete Flynn called on Mike and Kim to stand and be recognized at which point MPPs of all parties applauded. It was very emotional, said Mike. We just embraced each other. It soon became clear Mike and Kim were not alone when Essex MPP Bruce Crozier proposed a private mem- bers bill calling for November to be made Bone Marrow Awareness Month in Ontario. The bill was brought forward on behalf of the family of Katelyn Bedard, a three-and-a-half year old girl who, like Smyth, died of leukemia while awaiting a bone marrow transplant. While Mike said he appreciates these gestures he said so much in the healthcare system has to change to stop more families from going through what his family and Katelyns family have endured. My son tested the bone marrow part of the healthcare system this summer, he said. When the lightening rod came and he was struck with leukemia all of a sudden we found all the things we thought would be in place, werent, such as a registry from the Red Cross, such as quick access to the international registry. It wasnt available in time for David or lots of other people. Then theres the lack of awareness. Mike has previously called for Blood Services Canada to create permanent bone marrow donor clinics within their offices. He is also hoping to see the Canadian bone marrow registry grow to two million in two years. Bone marrow donor registry need heard at Queens Park David Smyth