University community comes together for Kirby

By Erin Ryan

Last December, 231 students, faculty and staff members donated samples of their bone marrow and over $12,000 to support Ed Kirby, a Santa Clara junior and one of about 4.5 million people battling leukemia.

"The bone marrow drive really had two benefits," said Jeanne Rosenberger, dean of Student Life. "The first was an inclusive opportunity for anyone who knew Ed or read about him to come together in support. The second was to educate the community and increase the number of donors."

Donating marrow and money were not the only ways people helped the cause. Many found ways to participate by getting involved with publicity for the drive or sitting at a station to give information to others. Donors and volunteers included students, faculty, staff, members of the Jesuit community, the President's office and alumni from the Sigma Pi fraternity of which Kirby was a member. Sigma Pi President Colin Barceloux said that about $8,000 of the donation was raised by the chapter alumni.

"Ed knows that Santa Clara and his brothers support him," Barceloux said.

Kirby was thankful for the strong response from the community. "It was great to see my professors' names and other people I knew on the list of donors, knowing that they went out of their way to help," he said.

Rosenberger said the drive was an example of how Santa Clara comes together to back an issue. She said the drive was more in honor of Ed and to increase the number of donors in the national registry, knowing it was unlikely that a match for Ed would be found.

"Ed is so positive, it really was contagious to volunteers," said Rosenberger.

During the three-day drive, momentum built word of mouth spread during the three-day drive, as 51 people came the first day, 61 the second day and 119 the third.

Ed is now home in Boston, recovering from chemotherapy and preparing for two more rounds. He has not found a bone marrow match, but remains upbeat and hopeful because a transplant won't be necessary as long as the chemotherapy works.

Currently, the chemotherapy is working and Ed is in remission. He hopes to play lacrosse again in the spring and return to Santa Clara for classes in the fall.