Derek Cousineau has always been a fan of ocean swimming, but just a couple of days ago he took it to a new level. Derek served as a pace swimmer for Southern California resident and former polo player Greg Farrior in the Catalina Channel swim. Derek didn't know Greg, but Greg knew of Derek, and the rest of the Cousineau family.
It's been less than a year since the passing of SET Water Polo player and Derek's brother Evan Cousineau due to complications from ALD, a genetic metabolic disorder. It was a loss that rocked the Southern California water polo community and the Cousineau family. But, instead of spending all their time wondering why this had happened to them they decided to throw themselves full time into trying to help others.
A bone marrow transplant was one of the keys to treating Evan's diagnosis with ALD, and while it wasn't able to save him it can save thousands of others. Unfortunately the National Marrow Donor Program hasn't made its way on to enough people's bucket lists, it is something the Cousineaus aim to change.
Gina Cousineau, Evan's mother, has thrown herself into the operation of obtaining bone marrow donors like no other. Along with the help of various members of her communities, she has been able to get the word out en masse on joining the bone marrow registry. She held her first drive in March getting 87 people into the bone marrow donor registry at the OC Speedo Cup. With dozens of drives in between, she and the rest of the family are at it again at the 2008 S & R Sport Junior Olympics out looking for those willing to join. That number now stands in excess of 1,500.
This is how Greg Farrior entered the picture. He had read all about Evan's story, which has been well documented in the area. In Evan he finally found the motivation to try and complete the daunting Catalina Channel swim, an all-night ocean swim that is an ultimate test of endurance as the average swimmer completes the journey of 21 miles in 10-15 hours. Joining him during that night as one of four pace swimmers was Derek Cousineau. They started at midnight on Thursday evening and concluded 10am Friday morning with Derek estimating he swam between three and four miles including the last mile of the swim.
"I was there to give him someone to swim with, and just make him more comfortable," Derek said. As for the swim itself, "It was really freaky, there were no waves and you can see much further down than you want to see," he concluded with a laugh. Good spirits for someone who was then up near the crack of dawn on Saturday morning for his 14U SET team's opening game in the JOs, an 11-4 victory over Trojan. "I'm pretty tired but still doing good," Derek said.
It was just another case of the Cousineaus being able to get out their message, "Be a Hero, Become a Donor." That saying has become a mantra for the family to the point where they are no longer just focused on bone marrow donation, but blood and organ donation. With all the talk today about being eco-friendly and going green, the Cousineaus are into a different type of recycling, recycling your body. "We figured if you are the type of person that is interested in organ donation, or donating blood, you might also be the type of person that is interested in bone marrow donation," Gina Cousineau said, as they cast a wider net to raise awareness.
They just don't ask for donations, they give them also. Evan's sister Mary a former junior team and USC Player just recently donated one of her kidneys to a young child in Minnesota and will be featured on ABC News World Tonight in August. The family met the boy during Evan's stay at the University of Minnesota. He had rejected his mother's kidney last May and as fate would have it, Mary was a perfect match. This will hopefully add more steam to the efforts of the Cousineau family, "It is just about trying to get people to realize they can save a life," Gina said.
So for those not in the know how does bone marrow donation go? First things first you need to join the registry, this is nothing more than a swab of the inside of your cheek and filling out some paperwork, "It doesn't hurt at all," Derek says, "the worst part is the paperwork." Actually, where the Cousineau's often run in to road blocks with potential donors is the 52 dollar processing fee. Not to dive into the world of infomercials but for just a dollar a week you really do have the potential to make a difference. 52 dollars is also about what it is costing to fill up a small car these days with gas, and you know you've wanted to get more exercise lately, this will solve that problem.
After joining the registry, chances of being called is like winning the lottery. As dad Mark Cousineau explains, "for most it is similar to blood donation where stem cells are separated out. For bone marrow aspiration, you are sedated. For your minimal discomfort, you gave someone the chance for new life." Seems easy enough and honestly the needs for donors can not be understated. Bone marrow donation can help treat some 70 different diseases, and each day 6,000 people check the registry, with just 30 percent finding matches with their siblings. The remaining 70% must go to the National Registry. Succeeding 30 percent of the time only works in baseball, not in life, stop by the tents at various pool decks during the boys and girls Junior Olympics and find out about joining the registry. For more information on how to help click here.
