'Cancer doesn't stop during COVID-19': Milwaukee man waits for stem cell donor

Andy Nawrocki, 40, of Milwaukee, is currently waiting on a stem cell transplant that he hopes will save his life.

REBOUND MILWAUKEE" TO HELPPEOPLE ACROSS OUR AREA MANAGETHE PRESSURES OF THE COVID-19PANDEMIC.

ONE GROUP THAT'SFINDING THIS AN áEXTREMELYSTRESSFUL TIME: CANCERPATIENTS.

PETE ZERVAKIS JOINSUS WITH THAT STORY.CANCER PATIENTS ARE ALREADY ATHIGHER RISK OF SERIOUSPROBLEMS FROM COVID-19.

BUTSOME OF THEM ARE ALSO WAITINGON LIFE-SAVING MEDICALTREATMENTS.ANDY NAWROCKI IS JUST 40 YEARSOLD.

BUT HE'S NOW FACED WITHTHE TASK OF HAVING TO DEFEATCANCER -- TWICE.

HE WASDIAGNOSED WITH LEUKEMIA THREEYEARS AGO.

AND WHILE THETREATMENT WAS EFFECTIVE... ANDPUT THE LEUKEMIA INREMISSION... THAT TREATMENTCAUSED A áSECOND CANCER - OFTHE BLOOD.

6:43 this treatmentrelated second cancer reallyonly happens about 5 percentof the time ANDY'S BEST CHANCEOF SURVIVAL IS THROUGH A STEMCELL TRANSPLANT FROM A MATCHEDDONOR.

NO ONE IN HIS FAMILY ISA MATCH.... SO HE'S HOPING TOFIND ONE THROUGH THE "BE THEMATCH" REGISTRY.

5:39 thechance of finding a match inyour family is only about 20 %THE REGISTRY... WHICH OFTENRECRUITS AT SUMMER FESTIVALS,OR ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES, IS NOWSEEING A DROP IN DONORSSIGNING UP.

BUT WHAT'S áNOTDROPPING... IS THE ESTIMATED14-THOUSAND PEOPLE A YEARWAITING FOR STEM CELL OR BONEMARROW TRANSPLANTS.

NICHOLEWEARING BE THE MATCH4:34 thesecancer patients are stillrelying on donors to come outand join the registry ANDY ISTRYING TO STAY UPBEAT.

BUT HISCANCER IS HIGH RISK.

HE'LLNEED THE STEM CELL TRANSPLANTTHIS SUMMER.

ANDY NAWROCKIBATTLING CANCER 12:52 it ishard - it does definitely havedays where its hard to talkabout it at all 13:34 but itsalways encouraging to know youcan get cured so here's yourrebound rundown: 14-thousandpeople a year rely on be thematch but donations are downright now due to covid-19 theorganization is increasing itsawareness efforts online TEXT"CUREANDY TO THE NUMBER ONYOUR SCREEN... OR VISIT THISWEBSITE.IF YOU SIGN UP TO BECOME ADONOR... BE THE MATCH WILLSEND A KIT RIGHT TO YOURHOUSE.

IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE TIMETO WRITE DOWN THE INFORMATIONON HOW TO SIGN UP... DON'TWORRY.

WE'LL HAVE THE NUMBERTO TEXT AND THAT LINK TO THEWEBSITE UP IN THIS STORY ONTMJ4.COM.THANKS PETEWE KNOW THE PANDEMIC HASIMPACTED ALMOST EVERY ASPECTOF A LOT OF PEOPLE'S LIVES.WE'VE GOT A LIST OF RESOURCESTO HELP YOU GET THROUGH THISON OUR WEBSITE T-M-J-4 DOT-COMSLASH REBO