Want to help save a life? Drop in Friday at Richland blood, bone marrow registry drive.

A former Richland police sergeant found a bone marrow match in just two weeks. But 14,000 others nationwide are still searching for their lifesaving match.

A whole blood and bone marrow registry drive Friday in Richland has been organized on behalf of Chris Vowels, owner of Columbia Kayak Adventures and former police officer, who is battling severe aplastic anemia.

Vowels, 63, now is in Seattle scheduled for a bone marrow transplant next week, but the Richland man and his family still are hoping for a good turnout Friday to help keep the blood bank full.

While Vowels found a bone marrow match in just over two weeks, about 14,000 others continue searching for a lifesaving match. Some of those people will never get an unrelated donor who might cure them of their disease or cancer.

The Friday event will be handled by the American Red Cross and Be The Match.

Participants are encouraged to drop in between noon and 6 p.m. at the center’s activity room, at the Richland Community Center, 500 Amon Park Drive.

People who want to register as a bone marrow/stem cell donor should be in good health and between age 18 and 44.

Updates on Vowels’ progress are available through a Facebook group page and a GoFundMe account.

This story was originally published March 29, 2017 at 4:48 PM with the headline "Want to help save a life? Drop in Friday at Richland blood, bone marrow registry drive.."