Newly added to the Lani Kai Blood and Bone Marrow Drive, Mike DeCarlo has organized a poker run to correspond with the benefit. Above, Junkanoo’s Alicia Burgess and Darlene Russo of Val’s Lounge lean against a ’52 Ford pickup from J.J. Armstrong of Cali Motors while Paula Towell of AIM Realty Group rocks a Harley. The Dodge Charger belongs to Steve Jefferies, owner of Benchwarmers, one of the poker run stops that day. Are you ready to ride for a cause? Photo by TRICIA KETT.

After months and months of planning and preparing, it’s time to kick off the fourth annual Kenny Conidaris Blood and Bone Marrow Drive at the Lani Kai this weekend, along with a very special poker run that’s been intertwined with the benefit, stopping at several local watering holes, including the Lani Kai.

For the fourth year in a row, the Conidaris family, along with the Lee Memorial Health System and the Lani Kai, are on the hunt for Kenny’s perfect bone marrow match, taking place Saturday, July 18, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The poker run will kick off at the Lani Kai at 9 a.m., with the last bike out at 10 a.m. The cost is $20 per rider.

During the poker run, bikers and their riders will hit Benchwarmers, Junkanoo, the Cracker Box, Val’s Lounge and the Lani Kai.

During the blood and bone marrow drive, there will be plenty of fun, food, prizes, games and live music throughout the Lani Kai premises.

The Tropical Breeze Reggae Band will entertain the crowd, and plenty of prizes and giveaways will be presented to those donating blood or bone marrow swabs.

Kenny’s story

Suffering from Severe Aplastic Anemia, 15-year-old Kenny Conidaris is in dire need for a bone marrow match and transplant.

At age 12 he was diagnosed with the disease, where the bone marrow stops making enough red and white blood cells and platelets for the body. Patients with aplastic anemia are at risk for life-threatening infections or bleeding.

Recently Kenny was also diagnosed with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria, or PNH, a disease that can stem from aplastic anemia and occurs when abnormal blood-forming stem cells produce red blood cells with a defective protective layer.

Kenny’s father, Ken, said his son’s current treatment is like putting tape on a hose that leaks the tape could hold forever or the hose could explode.

“One bone marrow transplant could save Kenny’s life,” he said.

Kenny is one of the more than 10,000 people each year with a life-threatening disease who could benefit from a marrow transplant. These tissue types are inherited, but 70 percent of patients do not have a matched donor in their family. Kenny is among that 70 percent and is relying on the National Marrow Donor Program to find a match.

Bone marrow sampling

“Many people want to be registered to donate blood marrow, but don’t know how,” said Nancy Hendrick, LMHS Blood Centers community relations coordinator. “That’s why we’re holding a bone marrow search and blood drive. We want to help increase community awareness of the need for blood and marrow donors, and it would be awesome if we could find a match.”

Anyone age 18 to 60 who is willing to donate to any patient in need and meets the health guidelines can join the Bone Marrow Donor Program registry. Nancy explains that the process is much simpler than in the past.

“Cells from a person’s mouth are collected with a cotton swab and analyzed to determine if that person is a match with any patient in the registry,” she said.

The actual donation process is also simpler, and the majority of donations are done without surgery.

For more information or to donate anything to the event, whether they’re coupons to your establishment, gift certificates, items, gifts, freebies or volunteer service, call Ken Conidaris, 463-3111.