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Sells Ad Space On Forehead For National Bone Marrow Donor Drive. ...
Patrick Pedraja, 12, says he's on a life-saving mission. He is selling advertising space on his head to generate attention for the disease.
Money raised goes to fund Patrick's national bone marrow donor drive. Since the boy's father is a detective with the Miami-Dade Police Department, the program was launched Monday at police headquarters.
"I do it with pride because we need the money and I know I'm saving lives," Patrick said. "But sometimes it feels a little weird because other kids will ask me, 'Why do you have a tattoo on your forehead?'"
"We're here today to help him kick off his dream kick of adding 2,007 new donors to the national bone marrow foundation's donor program," Commander Linda O'Brien of the Miami-Dade Police Department said.
Patrick was diagnosed with leukemia two years ago and his doctors said he is doing great. He is now in remission and instead of receiving treatment three times a week he now only needs treatment once a month
Patrick said he is inspired to go beyond a local drive because of the story of another patient who died waiting for a bone marrow donor. "I woke up one morning and told myself that I was not going to do this half way, I was going to do it all the way," Patrick said. "We're going to go national."
A simple cheek swab is all it takes to register. Director Robert Parker of the Miami-Dade Police Department did just that and gave Patrick the department's highest civilian award.
"We are presenting to you a certificate and the actual emblem for the department's silver medal of valor," Parker said.
"Less than 20 percent of the marrow registry are minorities," Williams Pedraja, Patrick's father, said.
Driving For Donors, Patrick's campaign, is hoping to change that. It continues Tuesday from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. at 1300 South Miami Avenue. After that, Patrick and his mother will be driving a donated RV to begin the nationwide leg of his Driving For Donors campaign.
They will go on a 30 city, cross-country tour.
To learn more about Patrick and his Driving For Donors campaign, click here.
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