Stranger Saves Nicolet Alumni's Life with Bone Marrow Transplant

Medical student Jacob Adashek says he's on his way to a speedy recovery and counting down the days until he can meet the bone marrow donor from Israel that saved his life.

Every morning, Jacob Adashek wakes up and looks at a card set atop his dresser from the man who saved his life — a man he doesn't even know.  "I look at it every day," Jacob said. " He is a very special person to me. We are 'blood brothers.' I have his DNA in my body because his blood pumps through my veins." Last weekend marked the one-year anniversary of the worst day of Jacob's life. He had a lesion on his lip and a blood test revealed abnormal results. It turned out to be a leukemic lesion and from that point on, the hospital kept him captive.  For three months the leukemia hammered away at his body while relatives, friends and even strangers rallied for his cause. Then in August, a near miracle happened. A man in Israel was a perfect …

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Fox Point-Bayside Patch Year in Review

The Best of Patch: August

A look back at the top headlines from Fox Point-Bayside Patch in 2011.

At year's end it's nice to take a look back at where you came, which offers a good look at where you're going. At Patch, August brought a feisty recall elections, a tough arrest of a very angry drunk driver, a perfect bone marrow match for a Fox Point native and so much more. Take a look at the controversy, passion and memories that were made in August at Fox Point-Bayside Patch. Art Trooper: Faith and a Little Luck Save Studio As local business struggle through the recession, Patch took a look at a handful of places in Fox Point and Bayside in our Surviving America series. In this piece, we took a look at Art Trooper in Audubon Court. When Ann Deuser opened Art Trooper in 2008, she had no idea that the recession would victimize many …

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Letter to the Editor: Update on Jacob Adashek

Jacob's sister and family say 'thanks' and remind everyone to consider a simple cheek swab.

Editor's Note: This update was posted Friday in a Facebook group by Jacob Adashek's sister, Amy. The group was started by Jacob's friends and family to help find him a bone marrow transplant donor. Here's a status update on Jacob's progress. Hey Everybody, Tonight is the night. Jacob will have his bone marrow transplant this evening. Please keep Jacob in your thoughts and prayers! Jacob's donor is a young male from Israel. He is a perfect match to Jacob and we are eternally grateful to him for giving Jacob the most incredible gift one can give. After one year if Jacob's donor agrees, Jacob and he can find out who the other is. Jacob hopes to meet his donor sometime soon after that. Throughout this entire process, Jacob has had a "lets do …

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Fox Point Native Finds Perfect Bone Marrow Match

Jacob Adashek expected to have transplant in September.

It was a 10 out of 10, perfect match. Jacob Adashek recently hit the jackpot in the gamble for a bone marrow donor as the Fox Point native and leukemia patient found a perfect match.  "To be honest, I wasn't super surprised about getting a donor because I knew from the beginning that I would get through this disease and that was one piece of the puzzle," he said through a Facebook message to Patch. "I was relieved and thrilled to find out that I had a donor and that it was a 10 for 10 match." How fortunate does Jacob feel? Jacob, who is expected to have a bone marrow transplant in September, corresponded with a 15-year-old post transplant survivor who didn't find a match for five years and his match was only a 6 for 10.   "In that respect…

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Marrow Registry Drive For Friend Could Help Others

After a Fox Point native falls seriously ill, hundreds get registered to donate bone marrow. However, this means much more than saving his life.

It’s the turnout that every parent dreams of while going through a situation every parent fears.  After only a year of studying at a medical college in San Diego, Fox Point native Jacob Adashek learned in May that he has leukemia. Though he is in remission, he’ll need a bone marrow transplant to help fight the disease. Finding a compatible donor is not easy, but Jacob's friends, family and community members have gotten behind the effort in a way that the Blood Center of Wisconsin describes as very unique.  They’ve literally started a social-media fueled frenzy that boasts a Facebook following of over 500 people, all dedicated to finding a bone marrow match. “The Facebook group grew to over 500 members in just a few days,” said Jacob's …

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