LAKEVILLE — A small above a month in the past, Freetown resident Paul Couto and his relatives been given devastating news that the 54-yr-outdated history teacher experienced been identified with acute myeloid leukemia, or AML. Now, his best shot at beating the scarce and intense most cancers involves discovering a ideal bone marrow donor, which is where his mates in the Freetown-Lakeville regional faculty neighborhood where he operates are asking for all the support they can get — and shortly.
Any person who wishes to aid by examining to see if they are enough of a genetic match to be Couto’s donor can do so this weekend at Freetown Lakeville Middle University, where he has taught for 18 a long time. On Saturday, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., some of those people who are rallying at the rear of him will be there web hosting a blood generate and bone marrow donor research function for Couto — who, in addition to desperately needing compatible marrow, has also been undergoing day by day blood transfusions.
Relatives close friend Alicia Bredberg, a person of the event’s organizers, says the process of examining to see if anyone is a match is fast and pain-free. “It can be a walk-in and cheek swab — quite easy. Then, you’ll be put in a database, and if you change out to be a match they will call you to see if you would like to go further more with the procedure,” Bredberg stated.
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In accordance to Bredberg, the excellent candidates for Couto are males of Portuguese descent concerning the ages of 18 and 40. With the part genetics participate in in the match-obtaining course of action, Bredberg suggests supporters hope SouthCoast’s geography performs in Couto’s favor.
“Paul is Portuguese and stem cells are likely to correlate far more usually when a donor has the same qualifications, so we are hoping to attain a whole lot of the Portuguese people today in some of the communities all around us who would want to enable,” she explained, noting organizers have been hoping to unfold term about Saturday any way they can. “We have been putting out flyers and doorway-knocking — anything a bunch of us mothers and dads can do in town.”
A Bear of a person
“Everyone in this article Loves Paul!” Freetown Lakeville Middle University secretary and party organizer Judy Ashley advised The Conventional-Situations via email. “At initial glance, most folks are almost certainly intimidated by Paul, he is a big tattooed man, but the moment you get to know him you notice he is the gentlest, most kind man or woman who would do something for any person.”
Just one issue commonly regarded about Couto all over the Freetown Lakeville Middle School local community is his determination as a Chicago Bears football enthusiast, as evidenced by his classroom décor. So in a natural way, attempts to show Couto assist even though he stays less than medical center care in Boston have concerned his beloved NFL staff.
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“We experienced a ‘Chicago Bears day’ on Friday, April 8th, to present our support and most workers users requested Bears shirts on Amazon, and there was an abundance of blue and orange throughout our halls on that Friday,” Ashley wrote. “It was tough for some of us that have an allegiance to unique teams (Patriots, Dolphins, Steelers and Washington Commanders, to title a several), but we managed to make it by way of the working day in our Bears shirts, just for Paul!
“An additional workers member designed orange and blue ribbons for team to wear, and most of us don ours each individual day.”
Bredberg — who describes Couto as “a large, burly sweetheart” who enjoys to play Scrabble — reached out to the Chicago Bears to permit them know 1 of their most important followers could use a pick-me-up. In reaction the group despatched a reward offer of formal products for Couto.
Couto is a indigenous of Slide River, Bredberg stated. He and his spouse, Jessica, raised their two daughters, Sarah and Emily — both Apponequet Regional Large College graduates — in Freetown, where the Coutos also participate as a host relatives for pupils in the district’s overseas trade application. Prior to coming to teach at the Freetown-Lakeville Regional School District, Couto worked at Somerset Public Universities.
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