A Story of Hope
One Life Saved,
Thousands Inspired
When a stranger 5,000 miles away gave baby Jada the gift of life, her grandmother embarked on an extraordinary mission—walking across continents to ensure other families would have the same chance.
The Ripple Effect
One family's gratitude has touched lives around the world.
Figures reported by the Jada Bascom Foundation.
Jada during treatment at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center, 2007
Spring 2007
A Fight for Life at One Month Old
It started with tiny red dots. Shortly after Jada was born at Holy Family Hospital in Spokane in April 2007, a nurse noticed petechiae—small red marks caused by bleeding under the skin—and acted right away. At just one month old, baby Jada was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia.
What followed was an intense battle. Five rounds of chemotherapy. Hundreds of blood transfusions. Months at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center. And through it all, a desperate search for a bone marrow match.
No one in Jada's family was a match. That is the norm, not bad luck: NMDP says 75% of patients don't have a fully matched donor in their own family. Her only hope lay somewhere among the millions of strangers registered as potential donors around the world.
The Perfect Match
A Stranger Named Torsten
Five thousand miles away in Germany, a young man named Torsten Huber had gone with his girlfriend, Michaela, to a donor drive held in April 2006 for a woman in their area who had leukemia. He was not her match, but the drive added him to DKMS, the German bone marrow registry, and he never knew if he would ever be called upon.
Then the call came. Out of 11 million people on the worldwide registry, Torsten was Jada's perfect match. Without hesitation, he agreed to donate.
"Of course I registered to help somebody. I'm really glad that I could help Jada."
— Torsten Huber, Jada's Donor
At seven months old, Jada received Torsten's gift. The transplant was successful. Today, she is a healthy young woman—cancer-free and thriving, a living testament to the power of one person's decision to register.
Torsten Huber with Jada—the life he saved
Steps to Marrow
A Grandmother's Extraordinary Mission
Jeana Moore couldn't just say thank you. She had to do something—something that would give other families the same chance her family had been given.
Jeana Moore with Torsten during her Sea-to-Sea walk through Europe, 2012
In 2009, Jeana Moore—a grandmother from Deer Park, Washington—laced up her walking shoes and set out on a journey that would take her across continents.
Her first walk: 4,434 miles across America over 15 months, from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle to New York City. Walking an average of 12 miles a day, she stopped in communities large and small to share Jada's story and help run donor registration drives.
Then came her Sea-to-Sea walk through Europe: 137 days and over 1,000 miles through Germany, Switzerland, and Italy—from the Baltic Sea to the Adriatic. She walked to thank the Europeans who had given her granddaughter a second chance at life, and to inspire more to join the registry.
Along the way, Torsten joined portions of her walk. The stranger who had saved Jada's life had become family.
Become a Potential Match
Joining a registry can make you available as a potential match for a patient who needs a transplant. JBF helps you find the official registry that serves your country.
Our Journey
From diagnosis to foundation, a timeline of hope.
2007
A Tiny Red Dot
Shortly after Jada is born in April, a nurse notices tiny red dots on her skin. At one month old, she is diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia.
2007
The Search Begins
Like 75% of patients, according to NMDP, Jada has no fully matched donor in her own family. The search expands to 11 million people on the global registry.
2007
A Match in Germany
Torsten Huber, a young man from southern Germany who had joined the DKMS registry at a donor drive in April 2006, is identified as Jada's perfect match.
2007
The Gift of Life
At seven months old, after five rounds of chemotherapy and hundreds of blood transfusions, Jada receives her life-saving transplant.
2009
A Foundation is Born
Inspired by the stranger who saved her granddaughter, Jeana Moore establishes the Jada Bascom Foundation and begins planning an extraordinary journey.
2009-2011
Steps to Marrow: USA
Jeana walks 4,434 miles across America over 15 months, from Seattle to New York City, helping people register through official registries and sharing Jada's story in every community.
2012
Sea to Sea: Europe
A 137-day trek spanning over 1,000 miles through Germany, Switzerland, and Italy—from the Baltic Sea to the Adriatic—to thank Torsten and inspire European donors.
Our Mission Today
As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Deer Park, Washington, we continue Jeana's mission with three core goals.
Raise Awareness
Educating communities about how simple registration can be and dispelling myths about bone marrow donation.
Connect People
Connecting eligible people with official registries around the world.
Remove Confusion
Removing confusion by explaining eligibility, enrollment, and next steps.
Join Our Mission
Be Someone's Torsten
Somewhere in the world, a patient is searching for their match. You could be the stranger who saves their life. Join the registry or support our work today.
