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Boy Scout to conduct donor awareness drive

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Micah Topel

JANESVILLE — A local Boy Scout wants to help people waiting for blood or tissue donations.

Micah Topel will host Micah's Drive for Life on Thursday, Aug. 6, at the UAW Local 95 Hall as part of his Eagle Scout project.

Micah, 14, is an Evansville High School student and a member Evansville Boy Scout Troop 514.

The afternoon donor awareness drive will be a combination blood drive, bone marrow donor drive and organ/tissue donor sign up. The American Red Cross and Rock River Valley Blood Center of Rockford, Ill., will assist.

"This drive is near to Micah's heart as his grandpa Blaine (McDowell) was on the organ transplant wait list for a liver," said his mother Debbe Topel, Janesville.

But Grandpa Blaine, 78, of La Crosse never got that new liver because "unfortunately an organ was not available before he was told he was too old to continue to stay on the list," she said.

"He's planning on coming," to the event, Micah said, adding that his grandfather transported eyes from La Crosse to Madison for sight-saving procedures and research as a member of the Lions Club.

Also attending will be a representative from the Restoring Hope Transplant House, Middleton, where people can stay for a small fee while family members are at UW-Hospital, Madison.

"I'm hoping to raise money for the house, which is waiting to be opened," Micah said.

Micah wants to raise awareness about the need for people to donate blood, bone marrow, organs and tissue.

To donate, Micah said a person must be healthy and fill out forms, which will be available, during the five-hour drive.

Others close to Micah, and his family, whose lives have been touched by donor activities, include:

-- His dad, Mike Topel, Janesville, who is a UAW member and blood donor since 1980.

-- Ron Carlson, Evansville, who was a Boy Scout and has been dealing with myelodysplastic syndrome since 2004 and recently received a bone marrow transplant that saved his life.

"He'll be swabbing for bone marrow and sharing his story," at the event, Micah said.

-- His mom Debbe, who benefited from a blood transfusion earlier this month.

"You could be the one to save someone's life," he said, "and maybe some day you could be the one to be saved."