PR Newswire

NEW YORK, Sept. 4 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Firefighter Roy Chelsen battled bravely for us on September 11, 2001 -- but now he is gravely ill and desperately needs our help. Chelsen, then a member of the FDNY Engine Company 28 on September 11, 2001 -- was among the first firefighters to respond to the terror attacks at The World Trade Center, and helped save many lives. But for the last three years, Roy Chelsen has been battling multiple myeloma, an aggressive bone marrow cancer. He has undergone chemotherapy treatments, surgery and numerous transfusion therapies. Now after one year in remission, Chelsen needs a bone marrow transplant from a matching donor to save his own life. Born in Brooklyn, Roy Chelsen and his immediate family lived in Staten Island before settling in Warwick,Orange County, NY. He is 48 year old and married, with one son.

We are asking that everyone -- from friends, residents, blood donors, and members of the FDNY, NYPD and the Port Authority to please step out and give blood in support of retired firefighter Roy Chelsen. Bone marrow cancer patients require blood transfusions because treatment kills both cancer cells and healthy, blood-forming cells. People can donate blood at the following drives, or at their nearest location by calling 1-800-933-2566, or by visiting www.nybloodcenter.org/. To find out if you are a potential bone marrow match for Roy Chelsen, you must register with the National Marrow Donor Program at the sites listed below. This one-time registration is free. A swab will be taken of the inside of your mouth.

Blood and Bone Marrow Drives for Roy Chelsen

New York City Fire Department - Engine 28 / Ladder 11

Friday, September 5, 2008 9:00 am - 8:30 pm

222 East 2nd Street, New York, NY

Warwick Fire Department Goodwill Hook & Ladder Company Ladies Auxiliary

Thursday, September 11, 2008 3:30 pm - 9:00 pm

Church Street Extension, Warwick, NY

Westerleigh Community Blood Drive at Zion Lutheran Church

Saturday, September 20, 2008 10:00 am - 3:30 pm

505 Watchogue Road, Staten Island, NY

Each donated pint of blood can save as many as three lives. All donors receive free mini-medical exams on site and information about their temperature, pulse rate, blood pressure and hemoglobin level. Eligible donors include those people at least age 16 with parental consent (in NY) or 17 (in NJ), who weigh a minimum of 110 pounds, are in good health and meet all Food & Drug Administration and NY or NJ State Department of Health donor criteria. Inquiries are also welcomed from organizations who would like to schedule a blood drive.

New York Blood Center (NYBC) is one of the nation's largest non-profit, community-based blood centers. NYBC has been providing blood, transfusion products and services to patients in greater New York since 1964. NYBC is also home to the Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute and the National Cord Blood Program at the Howard P. Milstein National Cord Blood Center, the world's largest public cord blood bank. NYBC provides medical services and programs (Clinical, Transfusion, and Hemophilia Services) through our medical professionals and transfusion medicine physicians.

NYC Contact: Leslie Gonzalez

(212) 570-3034 CELL: (646) 342-3038

lgonzalez2@nybloodcenter.org

Orange County, NY: Lanette Perez-Villarroel

(914) 784-4635 CELL: (646) 739-1852

lperez-villarroel@nybloodcenter.org

Brookyn/Staten Island: Ellen Kramer

(718) 797-7808

ekramer@nybloodcenter.org