Right now, hundreds of Canadians need stem cell transplants to treat potentially fatal diseases like leukemia. More than 70% of them wait for a stranger to save their lives.

Gail Gaskin teaches kindergarten at Centennial Hylands Public School in Shelburne. Her husband, Shawn Sands, teaches in a special "at risk" program at Orangeville District Secondary School. Their son Nikolaus is waiting for such a stranger.

Nikolaus Sands, a graduate of Centennial Hylands, Centre Dufferin District High School and Carleton University, was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia at the age of 21. At first, it was identified as strep throat, swollen glands and mono. But the real diagnosis came months later at Toronto's Princess Margaret Hospital in the fall of 2005.

After three rounds of chemotherapy he returned to university, in remission, and graduated in Environmental Studies in February of this year. In March, he was ready to put his degree to work on a biosolids research contract with Melancthon Township but was forced to decline - the leukemia had returned.

Once again, Nikolaus is going through chemotherapy at Princess Margaret Hospital. He will undergo a bone marrow test after his release and receive one more round of chemo as an outpatient, and then finally, when a donor match is found: a bone marrow transplant.

Leukemia can be a relentless disease, often returning, and Nikolaus must have a bone marrow transplant as his DNA cannot recognize and destroy the cancer cells. Leukemia is a cancer of the myeloid line of white blood cells, characterized by the rapid grown of abnormal cells which accumulate in the bone marrow and interfere with the production of normal blood cells. This results in a drop in red blood cells, platelets, and normal white blood cells. Symptoms include fatigue, shortness of breath, easy bruising and bleeding and increased risk of infection. Acute myeloid leukemia is a potentially curable disease, but typically fatal if left untreated.

A stem cell transplant from a donor will recognize these cells as dangerous and the new immune system will destroy them. Even so, Nikolaus will need medication for the rest of his life to assist his immune system.

Nikolaus' mother, Gail, says Nik "is determined and is calling on strength from his marathon running." Last August, while still in remission, Nikolaus and his running partner Derek Virgo raised nearly $15,000 when they embarked on a 400-kilometre run to raise "the spirits of those battling blood cancers across the country, while raising awareness and funding for further research."

Their expedition began in Ottawa and finished on the steps of Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto, 10 days later. Nikolaus told reporters he was "out to prove that a cancer diagnosis was not a death sentence." On day seven, Nikolaus injured his foot, making the completion of the run, for him, a torturous journey on crutches. His resolve was testament to his message: Hope.

Hope was what his parents were looking for when they sought a match for Nikolaus within their family. This was not to be; fewer than 30 per cent of patients who need stem cell transplants are able to find a match in their own families.

In order for a bone marrow transplant to be successful, the donor and the recipient must have similar antigens: substances that cause an immune response in the body.

Canadian Blood Services' OneMatch Stem Cell and Marrow Network is a program dedicated to recruiting volunteer donors for patients in need of stem cells. The tissue typing results of all potential donors are maintained in a database that can be searched whenever a patient's physician makes a request.

As a result of international co-operation, OneMatch has access to donors world-wide, increasing the odds of finding a matching donor for any patient.

Gail says the family has received wonderful support from friends and the community. "Nikolaus is determined to live and plan for the future. He runs, 25 minutes every second day, around the nursing station and has inspired other leukemia patients to keep moving."

Nikolaus' family and OneMatch are looking for young, healthy Canadians to join the network. Blood donors are also encouraged to give, as cancer patients often receive blood everyday. The best chance for someone needing a transplant is to receive stem cells from a young donor of their own ethnicity. Even if one more name is added to the OneMatch list, it could make a difference. "Only by joining, can you be the one match to save a life"; it might be Nikolaus'.

Join now online by filling out the registration form at www.onematch.ca or by calling 1-888-236- 6283 to have a registration package mailed to you. You can also learn more about Nikolaus by visiting www. runningformore.com