San Diego Firefighter Seeking Bone Marrow Transplant

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February 2012

A San Diego firefighter is hoping to find a match.  Not the sort of match that will start a fire; the kind that will save his life. 

San Diego Fire Engineer Arsenio “RC” Ortanez has been a firefighter for 20 years.  He was diagnosed with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) in 2007.  He has been treated successfully until recently when his body began to reject the drugs he was prescribed.  Ortanez is now in need of a bone marrow transplant.

His fellow firefighters are coming to his side to help.  Through the San Diego Fireman’s Relief Association a drive is planned on Thursday February 16 for the general public to be tested and registered with the National Marrow Donor Program, in hopes of finding a match for “RC.”  The test is a simple swab on the inside of the cheek.  

There is no charge to the volunteers who register.  Anyone, 18 to 60 years old, willing to become a potential bone marrow donor is asked to come to 10509 San Diego Mission Road in San Diego Thursday February 16 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.

Next week the Relief Association will have a booth during the “Firehouse World” convention at the San Diego Convention Center, and on Wednesday February 22 will ask firefighters from all over the world to register with the marrow donor program. 

They are also asking for donations to help pay for the testing to find a match.  It costs about 100 dollars to test and process each swab. Donations can be made online at http://www.BeTheMatchFoundation.org/goto/EngineerRC.

For more information, contact:  Maurice Luque 619.533.4418 mluque@sandiego.gov or

Lee Swanson 619.533.3780 lswanson@sandiego.gov

Author:San Diego Fire-Rescue Dept. Press Release