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Dear All, The first day of the walk was a day that brought the unexpected.
I started the Third Steps To-Marrow walk at Yuma City Fire Department, Station 1. Channel 11 News KYMA was present to conduct interviews. Pat Healy and his wife Sarah were also there. The firefighters that weren’t out on calls also came out to see me off.
I will post the web address for the news footage as soon as we get it.
After walking for a couple of hours I stopped by a Dairy Queen to see if I could get some thing to eat. I didn’t realize this particular Dairy Queen just served ice cream. I thanked the woman helping me and said I better have something more substantial. She was moved by Jada’s story and said that I should stop by Arby’s down the road. She called ahead so they would feed me when I got there. I found out later that her name was Kim. She and the employees at Arby’s took good care of me.
Sarah Healy met me at Arby’s and walked a couple of hours with me.
I enjoyed having her with me on the first day of the walk. When Sarah headed back I had about 4 miles to the Cocopah Casino where I planned to end the walk for the day.
I had called the Cocopah Casino the day before to see if I could put up my tent with their RV’s. The gentleman that I spoke with thought it would be okay and told me to ask for a floor manager when I arrived.
Sadly, that didn’t work out for me so with my thumb out I was picked up by a kind young man who took me to the San Luis Fire Station. Unfortunately, after I had settled down for the night the firefighters were asked to take me to the Crossroads Mission back in Yuma. So at 9 pm I repacked my gear and back to Yuma I went.
I was pretty tired when I finally laid down on the mat that was provided to me by the mission

• TAGS (EDIT) be the match, bone marrow donor, jada bascom foundation, jeana moore, leukemia, steps to-marrow 3

Dear All, The last day for Preparations before the third Steps To-Marrow walk begins tomorrow was a very busy day, lots of people to talk to and lots of walking in-between.
The most important encounter for me was with the Quechan Tribal Council Secretary, Regina Escalanti. I was pleased to learn that they were expecting me and knew about my request to begin the walk on Quechan tribal lands, at the Yuma Health Center, thanks to the preparation work of my friend Pat Healy.
Pat helped our family when Jada was in the fight of her life against Acute Myeoloid Leukemia. He was President of Bikers Fighting Cancer at the time. They helped our family with things like gas money to get to Seattle to be with Jada when she had her bone marrow transplant. If you have experienced a medical crisis and the financial distress that strikes the family along with the heartache and worry for your loved one then you will understand the tremendous gift that acts of loving kindness bring. That’s what Pat and so many others who reached out to help us brought to our family through acts of caring.
So with Pat’s help again I met with Regina. She spoke with members of the Quechan tribal council and they invited me to come to the council meeting on Thursday Jan 30th. So someone will come to pick me up along the road on Wednesday afternoon and bring me back to Winterhaven so I can attend the council meeting. Auspicious beginnings

• TAGS (EDIT) acute myeoloid leukemia, be the match, bone marrow transplant, jada bascom foundation, stem cell donors

Dear All,
I walked from Yuma, AZ to Winterhaven, CA I will be making the same walk in reverse on Friday morning when I begin the Steps To-Marrow walk across the Sonoran Desert.

I stopped by the Yuma City Hall and arranged to make a request to Mayor Douglas Nicholls to propose a Stem Cell/Bone Marrow Donor Awareness Day. I also met with Fire Chief Steve Irr. Chief Irr gave me his card and said that if I need help to call him and he will make sure I get help! He also said that he would share the simple but important message about why and how to join Be The Match by texting LIFE to 61474 with the fire fighters this side of Telegraph Pass.

When I arrived in Winterhaven CA I visited Yuma Regional Medical Center. The administrative folks that I needed to see were in meetings off site but I expect to make headway with them later today. I would like permission to start the walk at the medical center. I’d also like to train someone at the center to show others how to join Be The Match using their cell phone, emphasizing the need for diversity. Lastly I would like to find the right person to be in touch with Aubrie Vargas the amazing Be The Match Community Engagement Representative for this area.

The part of the day that really warmed my heart was my search for a safe place to sleep. I had been trying to to reach the right person at the Quechan Casino and Hotel throughout the day, when I learned that I would not be able to stay the sun was already low in the sky. I looked for the nearest fire station and walked over to the Imperial Valley Fire Dept Station 8. They were really great but not able to help either. I asked if there was an RV Park near where I could pitch my tent. One of the firefighters pointed to a line of palm trees in the distance.

So off I went again further from my starting point for the walk with the sun sinking lower and lower. I arrived at Sans End RV Park to find the office closed. I saw some lights on in the game room. When I walked past the window toward the door I could see they were in the middle of Bible study. I apologized for the interruption and explained my situation. Everyone was so warm and welcoming even though I could tell from their initial facial reactions I was a strange sight to behold, with my enormous backpack, standing on their door step. Not only did they welcome me they allowed me to stay in an empty apartment for the next two days until the beginning of the walk!

Here’s to another good nights sleep safe and sound because of the generosity of others.

• TAGS (EDIT) be the match, bone marrow donor, bone marrow transplant, enroll diverse donors, leukemia, stem cell donation

Dear All, It felt good to be walking again. I walked to the Fortuna Foothills. It is still officially part of Yuma but close to the base of Telegraph Pass.
Being Sunday the side roads I took were pretty quiet. I had previewed the route and saw lots of businesses along the way but as I said this was Sunday and it was an industrial section of Yuma so every one of the businesses was closed. It doesn’t take long to run out of water in the desert. And I knew I needed water soon. I spotted a few cars parked in front of one of the industrial buildings as I crossed the street a security guard drove over to me. After explaining my walk and the fact that I needed water she quickly obliged. As we talked Chastity, the security guard, said that she also works at the Crossroads Mission. Funny how small things can connect strangers. We were instant old pals. It felt good.
Towards the end of the day’s walk I started to ask RV Parks if I could pitch my tent in a corner of their property somewhere. What I found out is that managers of RV Parks take Sundays off.
On the forth try I was walking through an RV Park headed toward the office when I heard a voice inquire, “What are you doing?” I walked over to find Mary Ellen sitting in a lawn chair in the shade of her motor home. After introductions she invited me to sit. Upon hearing my story she went and got her purse and gave me a $10.00 donation for the Jada Bascom Foundation.
Mary Ellen was one step ahead of me all night. Her son-in-law is a professional hiker and he told her about trail angels. Mary Ellen became my trail angel and met my needs without me having to even ask for help. First she fed me a late lunch/early dinner, then she took me to the Comfort Inn and paid for a suite for me to stay in overnight and finally she took me to Fry’s Market for Clif Bars and dried mangoes. Wow! Dear Mary Ellen I don’t know if you will see this but I hope you know how much your generosity and caring meant and continues to mean to me!

Dear All, I woke up early at the Crossroads Mission. I was able to shower, do laundry and have some breakfast and still leave by 9:30 am. I am grateful to everyone at Crossroads for giving me a safe place to sleep and letting me get cleaned up.
I walked a short distance to the La Fuentes Inn and Suites, just over 2 miles. I stopped at IHOP along the way and they gave me an egg and a pancake. I guess I was pretty hungry after yesterday’s walk.
La Fuentes Inn and Suites gave me a room for the night. Thank you so much for helping me again! Since I am back in Yuma and not in San Luis as planned I worked on my walking schedule to set the routes, starting points and stopping points for the next week of the walk. I feel refreshed and ready to begin again.
PS Thanks to In N Out Burgers for dinner!

Dear All, I am now in Phoenix, AZ getting ready for the third Jada Bascom Foundation Steps To-Marrow walk. I am pleased to have the help of my sisters, Mona and Melinda. I’ve been shopping at REI for much needed supplies, like socks that guarantee no blisters. And I am walking every day with my backpack to prepare for the long miles ahead. I have the honor of working with Aubrie Vargas York, Be The Match Community Engagement Representative, on enrolling potential bone marrow donors along my route.
I will make my way down to Winterhaven, CA in Monday, Jan 20 or Tuesday, Jan 21. The walk will start on Friday, Jan 24 at the Fort Yuma Health Center.

I hope you will follow my journey across the Sonoran Desert while I enroll potential bone marrow donors to save the lives of patients in need of a bone marrow transplant. And share our story with your friends. That’s how you can help us to save lives! If you are not already a member of the Be The Match, national marrow donor program and you are between the ages of 18 and 60 just text LIFE to 61474 and start your Be The Match journey today!