Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

'True warrior' an inspiration for marrow registration: minister

Chantelle Chornoby

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Chantelle Chornoby

THE young woman from War Lake First Nation, north of Thompson, dedicated much of her life to improving aboriginal registration rates for bone marrow and stem cell donation.

In the legislature Tuesday, Aboriginal and Northern Affairs Minister Eric Robinson urged aboriginal people and all Manitobans to register for bone marrow and stem cell donation with Canadian Blood Services (CBS).

"Chantelle Chornoby was a true warrior in every sense of the word and her determination to help other people and persevere inspired everyone who had the privilege of meeting her," Robinson said. "We know Chantelle left her family with peace in her heart. Now it is up to us as Manitobans, and aboriginal people particularly, to leave her a legacy."

The CBS One Match Stem Cell and Marrow Network has about 220,000 people registered to be potential donors, but less than one per cent are Aboriginal.

Chornoby had setup a Facebook group called Chantelle's Promise to raise awareness and recruit aboriginal people to register as donors.

Chornoby was enrolled in the addictions and community services diploma program at CDI College with the goal of returning to War Lake First Nation. CDI College is holding a mass registration event for One Match in Chantelle's honour at 280 Main St. May 13 at either 9 a.m. or 2 p.m., or visit www.blood.ca and follow the links to register for the One Match Stem Cell and Marrow Network online.

Chornoby first fought cancer when she was 10, but was diagnosed again in 2007 with a rare form of leukemia. It could only be treated through bone marrow transplants that require a complicated set of matched genetic markers, usually from a donor of the same ethnic group.

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition May 12, 2010 A6

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