PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Rob’s Pit Stop Car Show will be held on Saturday, Aug. 23, at 253 Fort Rd., with proceeds benefiting Brylee Gagnon, a local child with leukocyte adhesion deficiency, a rare, life-threatening immune disease that prevents her body from fighting off infections.
Born Aug. 8, 2013, Brylee first made news when her family held a bone marrow drive last fall. Over 175 County residents joined The Aroostook Medical Center employees at the North Street Health Care facility in October to be tested as bone marrow donors. TAMC partnered with the national organization, Be The Match, to hold the local drive in hopes of helping find a match for a life-saving bone marrow transplant.
Goals for the event were both to raise awareness about the need for marrow donors and to perhaps find a matching donor for the infant and many other patients. A steady flow of area residents entered TAMC’s North Street Health Care Facility and took the first step in potentially saving a life. The original goal of 50 new donor registrants for the drive was more than tripled.
A bone marrow match was found for Brylee, with doctors preferring to wait until she’d gotten a bit older before performing the transplant. In the meantime, the family has been keeping a close watch on the toddler, working to keep her healthy.
A stem cell transplant is Brylee’s only hope for a cure. Brylee, and her parents, Shandi Page and Chad Gagnon, left earlier this week for her consultation at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, where they will discuss and plan the bone marrow transplant, according a post on the Facebook page “Prayers for Brylee.”
Saturday’s Car Show kicks off at 10 a.m. and continues through 2 p.m. Registration begins at 9 a.m. The event will take place rain or shine.
A 50/50 raffle will be held and door prizes offered. Hotdogs, hamburgers, chips and drinks will be available. Donations will be accepted at the door.
For more information, call Cowett’s Auto Sales at 764-6082.
