Students at Custer Elementary School and members of the Custer community will "Lace Them up for Chase," this Saturday, November 7, to benefit Custer fifth grader Chase who suffers from a rare blood disease.
To help raise money to support Chase and his treatment and recovery, all participants will register at 11 a.m. to either walk or run on the paved Custer track from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. this Saturday. Over the last two weeks, Custer students have been collecting donations to help support the cause. Raffle prizes also will be drawn for Custer students.
"Be The Match" will be at the event providing information and registering adults to be on the bone marrow registry. In addition, the Monroe County Chapter, American Red Cross, will sign up adults to participate in Custer's December blood drive.
Last May, Chase was diagnosed with Aplastic Anemia, which causes a deficiency in all blood types which leads to failure of bone marrow development. A rare disease, less than 1,000 news cases are diagnosed each year. Chase requires frequent blood and platelet transfusions at C.S. Mott Children's Hospital, and his blood level is monitored weekly. He will require a bone marrow transplant to cure this condition, and a donor has been located.
Persons with questions should contact Custer school teacher Teresa Stewart at 734-265-4313. To pledge funds to help Chase, clink on this link. https://www.gofundme.com/helpchasefightHAAA