WYCKOFF, NJ – Marc Demetriou reached out to The National Herald on behalf of his sister, Andrea (Demetriou) Kalliaras, who is fighting a rare form of leukemia which can only be cured with a stem cell transplant.

Kalliaras shared her story via email: “My family and I are members of Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Wyckoff, NJ. I am 49 years old. My husband Constantinos (Gus) and I are proud parents to two young teens, Sophia and Nikolas.”

She continued: “A few months ago, I received devastating news that I have a rare form of leukemia that can only be cured by a stem cell transplant. Unfortunately, at this point, the doctors have not found a match for me and so we are praying for the generosity of others and reaching out to our fellow community. My mom, Fannie, is Cypriot, and my dad, John, is Greek and Cypriot. So we are looking for anyone that is of Greek or Cypriot descent. However, on occasion, matches are found between patients and donors of different ethnic groups.”

Demetriou, Branch Manager/Mortgage Consultant for Residential Home Funding Corp. in Bloomingdale, NJ, and author of Lessons From My Grandfather: Wisdom for Success in Business and Life, said, “I have always been very protective of my sister and always looked out for her. But this time I can’t personally help her which tears me apart inside. My sister is not only my best friend but literally like a second mother to my three girls ages 16, 14, and 12.”

He continued: “We are looking for an Angel on this Earth of Greek and/or Cypriot descent between the ages of 18 and 55 to check and see if they are a match to help my sister. On occasion, matches are found between patients and donors of different ethnic groups, so even if you are not Greek or Cypriot, please register!”

“To determine if you are a match, you can take a 10-second cheek swab in the convenience of your own home via a free kit that is mailed directly to you,” Demetriou noted, adding that “if you are a match, technology has advanced so much that the cells could be taken from your blood in a non-invasive way. Additionally, for whoever is a match, all costs including transportation, if needed, to and from the nearest blood lab, is 100% covered. Please help us in this time of need!”

“I am asking everyone to please like and share this post and even share via other social media outlets as well as possibly emailing the information directly to any Greek or Cypriot people, organizations, associations and/or churches you know in the USA as well as Greece, Cyprus, Germany, the UK or anywhere in the world,” Demetriou said.

For more information, visit: www.swab4andrea.com or https://www.facebook.com/Swab4Andrea.

To receive a free swab kit:

In the U.S., ages 18-40, text Swab4Andrea to 61474

In the U.S., ages 41-55, visit https://www.dkms.org/

In Cyprus, email [email protected] or call Anita Koumouli 0035799586381 or visit https://karaiskakio.org.cy/

In Greece, https://www.xarisezoi.gr/

In Germany, https://www.dkms.de/

In the UK, https://www.dkms.org.uk/

All other countries, Swab The World | Become a stem cell donor