Lawrence “Larry” Vandak was a dog groomer, musician, and beloved co-owner of Groom Spot. He was known for his easygoing personality, love of punk rock, and deep devotion to his family and rescue dog, Maeby. After being diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia, Larry received not one but two bone marrow transplants. Those transplants gave him more time; time to keep building a life with his wife Julie, to enjoy conversations with family, to run the business they started together, to laugh with friends, and to simply live.
Even though Larry ultimately passed away in 2020, that extra time was a priceless gift. You can be that gift for someone else. DKMS is a global non-profit with the goal of eliminating blood cancer and giving patients like Larry access to life saving treatments such as bone marrow and blood stem cell transplants.
Every 3 minutes, someone in the United States is diagnosed with blood cancer and currently more than 3.5 million people worldwide are battling a form of blood cancer.
Registering to become a bone marrow donor is simple—a quick cheek swab and a few minutes of your time could help save a life. Ages 18–55 and in general good health are eligible.