Hundreds Come to Offer Bone Marrow to Cancer Patient : FIGHTING THE ODDS . . . CONQUERING THE TEARS

There is only a slim chance that any of the 312 people screened Thursday will be able to save the life of cancer patient Rick Bellinson by donating their bone marrow.

Odds are against any of those tested being a suitable donor, but the mood at the Valley Cities Jewish Community Center testing site was like an extended family reunion, marked with hugs, kisses, handshakes and a few bittersweet tears.

“How can you not feel great?” asked Bellinson, 34. “It’s such an uplifting thing seeing so many people shooting through here left and right.”

Bellinson has fought lymphoma for more than 11 years and needs a bone marrow transplant.

But none of the 18,000 people registered with the National Bone Marrow Donor Program match Bellinson’s type, so his family has launched a massive search to find a donor by scheduling five screenings at which they hope to test more than 2,000 people.

Many of the people tested Thursday night at the community center, where Bellinson and his family have long been active, are friends. Those who staffed the event, passing out consent forms and blood-sample vials, have known Bellinson’s parents for years.

“I’m here because I know Rick Bellinson. We grew up in the center together,” said Ronnie Carlson, 32, who was waiting to give a blood sample. “He has a great sense of humor. He is very friendly and very bright, and he deserves a chance to live a lot longer.”

Donating bone marrow is simple but potentially uncomfortable. A long needle is inserted into the hip to extract a small amount of bone marrow, which can be regenerated by the body in a week to 10 days.

“I don’t know how I would feel going through it, but if I was found to be the one who matched, I would definitely do it,” Carlson said.

“We have an obligation to him as a person, and a kind of obligation” to the community center, said Fred Mednick of Los Angeles, another of Bellinson’s school friends. “This is a particularly unusual place, and you get tied to it. It is our childhood, and he is very much a part of that.”

Bellinson’s mother, Harriet, said she has been rejuvenated by the outpouring of support for her son. She spent much of the evening greeting old friends.

“I’m overwhelmed with the generosity,” she said.

The Bellinson family is paying the $75 testing cost for each person screened. Bernie Bellinson, Rick’s father, said he took out a loan to pay the $23,000 bill for screening the blood collected Thursday. He said he plans to remortgage his Sherman Oaks house to pay for testing blood collected during the other testing days.

“We are very optimistic, that’s why we are doing this,” he said, holding back tears. “If we didn’t do it, it would be wrong. I would pay $100,000 if it would save Rick’s life.”

Everyone screened will have their marrow type registered with Life-Savers, a nonprofit foundation dedicated to matching cancer victims with potential marrow donors. Many who were tested said they would donate to anyone who needed it.

“I had a personal tragedy. My brother died recently. I’d like to contribute something to life since I couldn’t help him,” Dave Eldrige said.

“Everybody has an opportunity to give something back to the community. You either take it or you don’t,” said Don Linden of Van Nuys. “Maybe someday I’ll need the same thing done, and I’d like to think somebody would do this for me. I already give blood every eight weeks, like clockwork.”