Three university presidents and their students gathered at Squire Creek Feb. 1 to show their support for the upcoming Bone Marrow Drives on the campuses of the University of Louisiana at Monroe, Grambling State University, and Louisiana Tech University.

Andrew Norwood (left), ULM President James E. Cofer, Micah Pulliam (center right) and Joseph Beard (right) pose with James Christopher Allums.

ULM President James Cofer, ULM students Andrew Norwood, Joseph Beard, Micah Pulliam, GSU President Horace Judson and La. Tech President Dan Reneau, encouraged the community to support the upcoming drive.

Ellen Allums, whose son James Christopher Allums has fanconi anemia, expressed her gratitude to the three presidents. “Thank you for sharing your universities’ (resources) with us.” Mona Hogg, who is also in need of a bone marrow transplant, also expressed her gratitude.

Of the upcoming drive at ULM Feb. 6 in the Student Union Building, Cofer said, “ULM is pleased to be a part of this bone marrow drive.”

James Christopher’s parents are hoping for 5,000 people to be tested at ULM’s Bone Marrow Drive. If the volunteers aren’t a match for James Christopher, they may be a match for someone else.

The community is encouraged to stop by the SUB and get tested, which is simple and only involves a swab of the cheek.

ULM’s bone marrow drive is in friendly competition with the drives at La. Tech and GSU.

GSU president Horace Judson (back left), ULM president James Cofer (back center) and Louisiana Tech president Dan Reneau gather around their students and James Christopher Allums.

For more information, please call Debbie Wisenor, clinical laboratory science, at 342-1637 or wisenor@ulm.edu