If you have been around the Seattle geek community for long, it is likely that you’ve run into Tom Music. Tom is a developer, writer, speaker, musician, and one of the nicest guys you are ever gonna meet.
A couple of years ago, Tom was diagnosed with double lymphoma. He had been in remission for a while, but just took a turn for the worse over the last couple of weeks.
Tom’s wife Jana posted an update over the weekend and things are not looking good.
Tom gave one of my favorite Ignite talks of all time last year about his experience with lymphoma. He called his talk “Lymphomartini” and delivered it complete with double rainbows! I’ve embedded the video below.
So hang in there Tom. There are a lot of us who are better for having you in our lives/community. We want you to be around for a lot longer!
Ignite Seattle 
What can you do to help?
Even if you do not know Tom, there are a bunch of other young adult cancer survivors in the same situation. In fact, 70,000 people between the ages of 18 and 30 get diagnosed with cancer every year in the United States.
A few small acts can make a huge difference in our lives:
1) donate blood. While undergoing chemo, it is typical for platelet and red blood cell counts to fall. This means that the person is at an increased risk for bleeding or anemia (a condition in which the blood has trouble circulating oxygen throughout the body). Blood transfusions can help fix these problems, and in more serious case, can save the person’s life. I personally am sitting here typing this because a blood transfusion helped save my life 🙂 ) (http://www.redcrossblood.org/make-donation)
2) Register as a bone marrow donor. The plan is that Tom will be undergoing a stem cell transplant. Because the chemo will completely wipe out his bone marrow, Tom will need to receive someone else’s bone marrow stem cells to help rebuild his immune system, and his ability to renew his own blood. This is not an experimental procedure, and is completed hundreds of times a year at several cancer centers throughout the country. Many people who undergo a stem cell transplant go into long term remission, and are able to return to their successful and productive lives. As a bone marrow donor, you can give somebody a second chance at life! (http://www.marrow.org/JOIN/index.html?src=tabjoin)
Please take a minute to check out these links – not only for Tom, but for the 70,000+ other young adult cancer survivors out there!!! We’ll permanently owe ya one! 😀
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