BRIEFLY : Medicine: Red Cross Seeking Marrow Donor

South Bay Red Cross workers will devote Father’s Day to finding a potential bone marrow donor that might save the life of a San Pedro man.

Gary Rogosic, a 25-year-old father of twin boys, has exhausted a national registry containing 1.2 million donors without finding a match. Friends have raised more than $14,700, enough to test an additional 655 potential donors.

Red Cross workers will administer the tests, which consist of drawing about two tablespoons of blood, at Peck Park Recreation Center, 560 N. Western Ave., between noon and 3 p.m. Possible matches will require further testing for confirmation.

Surgery is required to extract bone marrow. The donor is often left with the equivalent of a “very bad backache,” depending on their physical condition, said Barbara Wilks, Red Cross spokeswoman.

Matches are more likely to be found among people with Irish or other Caucasian heritage, said Wilks. Those tested will be put on the registry to find other potential matches.

Those interested may call (800) MARROW2 to schedule an appointment or learn more about the process. Members of Friends of Gary Rogosic ask that those tested donate some or all of the $22.50 cost of the test, if possible, so more people can be tested.