Hope and Inspiration Gala shines light on the critical need for Black stem cell donors

BY PAUL JUNOR

The evening of Saturday, November 30^th, 2024, was one marked by inspiration, empowerment, and education at the Donor Drive 4 Dorothy Gala. It was held at the Panemonte Banquet & Convention Centre in Etobicoke and was graced by many invited guests, supporters, and visitors. The gala was intended to raise awareness and funds for stem cell donation, specifically to expand the Black donor pool in Canada’s stem cell registry.

A press release highlighted the issue of underrepresentation of Black donors in Canada’s stem cell registry:

• Only 1.88% of the 457,000 registered potential donors are Black
• There are 31 Black patients in Canada who are actively searching for a match
• 64% of the current registry are Caucasians

The core values of DD4D are:

• Access

Ensure all Black patients in need of a stem cell transplant have equal access to treatment and resources

• Empathy

Listen and engage each patient with an open heart. They honour every patient’s unique story

• Care

They prioritize the safety and well-being of the community, especially those afflicted by leukemia and other blood disorders

• Better posture

To build trust that’s rooted in love and compassion. This is how they connect with their: community, donors, and patients

DD4D was co-founded by Dorothy Vernon-Brown in 2014. She has shared her personal story of being diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) in the summer of 2013. She shares her journey through conventional cancer treatment, relapse of leukemia and subsequent search for a compatible donor, which led to a successful cell transplant. It was after searching The Canada Blood Services Stem Cell Registry (formerly OneMatch) for a compatible underrated donor, and not finding any after checking over 20 million potential donors that Dorothy was compelled to act. “I am living proof of what a successful stem cell transplant can do. Now my mission is to give more Black Canadians the chance at life by increasing the diversity of the donor registry. It ought to reflect Canada’s multicultural society.”

DD4D held its first swabbing event in 2014, and since then it has held others in the GTA and Ottawa.

It has engaged in many fundraising activities, donor drive events, and diverse events over the years.

The non-profit DD4D was birthed as a result of these challenges. Their mission is to: educate, create awareness, and increase the numbers of potential black donors in Canada Blood Services Stem Cell Registry. They are on a mission to support, care for, and help save the lives of leukemia patients and others suffering from blood disorders by increasing the Black donor pool in Canada’s national stem cell registry.

The gala was hosted by Dale Brown. He is a well-known gospel recording artist who was born in Kingston, Jamaica and hails from Atlanta, Georgia. He has released four albums and won the 2023 Jerk Fest Gospel contest. He certainly kept the audience engaged and involved with his: jokes, sense of humour, and easy-going personality.

There were mesmerizing and entertaining performances by Joseph Callender (aka Saxophone Magic). His versatility shone through as he performed a rich blend of genres. He has studied at Humber College and has performed on stage with world-renowned artists such as: John Legend and Lalah Hathaway. The highlight of the evening was a performance by Canadian-born pop/rock, singer/songwriter who goes by the stage name KHAY. The superbly talented actress, singer, and dancer has received training in New York and Los Angeles. She has a rich background in musical theatre. She performed many well-known songs, such as some from the late Tina Turner. She had the audience rocking to her songs as she seamlessly moved from different genres.

The program featured individuals who were diagnosed with cancers and were able to find donor matches. Their stories spoke of resilience, strength, perseverance and hope.

At the end of the program, the Board members were called up. They include:

• Dorothy Vernon-Brown (Chair & Director of Marketing)
• Camille Stewart-Edwards (Director of Finance)
• Pat Longmore  (Director of Fundraising & Sponsorship)
• Lisa Dietrich-Linton (Director of Information Technology)
• Denise Sinclair (Director of Events & Patient Relations)
• Janet Yee (Director at Large)
• Lois Virgo (Director of Operations & Special Projects
• Paulette Holness-Watson (Director of Swabbing, Awareness & Volunteer Recruitment)