Family struggling to find marrow donor for sick son

By Brian Hassler
Staff Writer

SHIPROCK — Despite the calls and promises of support, Ernie Lister is still waiting for the right donor to provide the needed bone marrow for his son.

Lister's son, David, had undergone seven months of chemotherapy before the cancer returned on March 3 and made a bone marrow transplant a necessity in order to overcome his battle with aggressive acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

"So far we've received a lot of responses but the hard part is getting people to show up," said Lister. "We really need people to not only say they'll be there but we need them to show up. Them being willing to get their finger pricked is what will save him."

Both David's brother and sister have been tested and so far 80 others have been tested at bone marrow drives held in Shiprock, Farmington and Dilcon.

"We did 25 tests at Shiprock and they were all Native Americans," said Fae Jones, of the National Marrow Donor Program. "At Shiprock, a lot were relatives and his chances are a lot higher within the Navajo community. I always think if you get that one, that's all that counts. You only need one."

Jones added that those interested in being tested but missed the testing dates could contact her at 1-800-333-8307 or at fjones@nmdp.org.

Since finding out that his son needed bone marrow, Lister has worked hard to set up marrow drives in Shiprock, Farmington, Gallup, Chinle and is working on a drive in David Lister's hometown of Prescott, Ariz.

"The tragedy is that there aren't a lot of Native American cells to choose from," he said. "That's why we've set up so many sites for people to donate at. We're really need and we depend on the community to come in and get tested."

Those tests have taken on greater importance as David has been forced to deal with daily problems and different symptoms.

"We're putting out a half dozen fires at once," said Lister. "He's not just laying there watching television, he's sick and is waiting for someone to just show up. Being a full-blooded Navajo, Navajo's are the ones that we look to when we need help."

Among the upcoming dates for marrow drives are the following:

• April 7, in Kykopsmovi at the Tribal Administration building from 8-5 p.m.
• April 8, in Chinle, Ariz., at the Potters House Church next to the A&W from 11-5 p.m.
• April 9, in Gallup at the WalMart from 10-4 p.m.
  
• April 29, in Window Rock, Ariz., at the Church of God from 10-4 p.m.

With drives planned throughout the month, and perspective donor's only needing to be pricked on the finger in order to be tested, Lister hopes that the community will step forward to help his son and to help others in the same situation.

"The bottom line is getting bodies to help out," he said. "In Gallup, if we can just get them to walk across the street to Walmart to help, that would be great. It's an all out attempt to get help and it's not just my own son. There's other children that need help and will benefit from matching donors."

Additional information can be found at www.davidlister.org and donations are being accepted at Wells Fargo Bank under the name of David Lister Donation, account number 2121013268.

— Brian Hassler is The Independent's Four Corners reporter based in Shiprock. Contact him at (505) 360-7862 or via email at brianhassler@hotmail.com.