Orthodontist Hosts Community Event and Blood Drive
San Clemente- On Saturday, September 20, the new orthodontic office of Dr. Frank Mogavero held a “Community Event”, celebrating the opening of his new office by hosting a Red Cross Blood Drive along with a Bone Marrow Drive in honor of his long-time patient, Chase Crawford. Chase and his mom, Kim Quickel, attended the event. Kim discussed yesterdays event: “Dr. Frank Mogavero is quite a saint in my eyes...Not only did he provide free orthodontic treatment for my son, Chase, a third time cancer survivor, but the recent blood drive at his new office amounted to 26 new bone marrow donors, as well as 24 units of blood. With our recent economic times, there is still a professional out there who still dedicates his time and efforts for curing the disease of leukemia and the gift of life of blood....Thank you, Frank, from a family that is still in the midst of the fight for life.”
Dr. Mogavero provided pizza, drinks and ice cream as he and his staff also provide face painting, together with a special autograph session with 15-year-old pro snowboarder Tyler Flanagan, along with 9-year-old Nationals Snowboard Champion Brock Crouch. Tyler has frequently appeared on the Fuel Channel, and recently starred in an episode of New Pollution on Fuel. Dr. Mogavero’s office brings a bit of Mammoth to San Clemente—the office has three chairs from old Chair 9 inside the office, action snow and sports photography, and a special pink grind box tooth brushing station built especially for the office by the Unbound Park team in Mammoth. The state-of-the art office also has a Wii Game Cave, a Homework Club room with a deer antler chandelier, and all digital x-ray equipment onsite. According to Dr. Mogavero, “We wanted to create a fun and unique community environment inside our office that the families of San Clemente and surrounding communities would enjoy. The Blood Drive and Marrow Drive in honor of Chase seemed like a perfect way to kick off the new office!” Dr. Mogavero, a Board Certified Orthodontist, has practiced in South Orange County for over 18 years; he just recently moved his office to San Clemente from Dana Point. For more information, Dr. Mogavero and his Staff can be contacted at 949-373-3737 or at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . To give blood in support of the community blood supply, Jessica Salmon of the American Red Cross urges community members to go to givelife.org to sign up for future blood drives. To become a bone marrow donor, contact Shelley Baker at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or go to marrow.org.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Orthodontist Seeks to Help Sick Teen Smile Again
San Clemente Orthodontist Dr. Frank Mogavero holds blood drive on behalf of longtime patient suffering from potentially life-threatening disease
On September 20, Dr. Frank Mogavero is holding a blood drive for longtime patient Chase Crawford, 18, at his orthodontic office, located at 1031 Avenida Pico, Suite 101, in San Clemente.
Chase Crawford was once a fit, active kid with plenty to smile about. But at 13, he was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. And while Chase was able to beat the disease and go on to live a normal life (and even have braces fitted by Dr. Mogavero), he was then diagnosed with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML) in his junior year of high school. He now requires blood transfusions every two to three days, as his body has difficulty producing new blood cells to help him battle the disease.
“This is a great kid who’s had a really difficult time over the past several years,” says Dr. Mogavero. “But even chemotherapy and radiation treatments couldn’t break his spirit. He’s got a strong will to live and strives to make every day count. I just want him to have that chance. Chase needs blood products on a regular basis, so we’re calling out to the community to donate blood on his behalf.”
Dr. Mogavero is holding a blood drive for Chase on Saturday, September 20, at his office, located at 1031 Avenida Pico, Suite 101, in San Clemente. A Red Cross BloodMobile will be there from noon to six p.m. to accept donations and interested parties can sign up ahead of time for blood donations by visiting www.givelife.org using the sponsor code (drfrank) or sign up in person. The National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP), www.marrow.org, will also be on hand to conduct simple cheek swabs to test for donor matches. Matches could help save the lives of other people just like Chase, who has been a marrow recipient. Tissue Typing is an expensive test, and the NMDP is asking donors to contribute towards the tissue typing costs. Checks are preferred, made out to “The Marrow Foundation.”
Chase, an avid fisherman who enjoys spending his free time out at sea with friends and family, recently graduated from Aliso Niguel High School and plans to attend college in Santa Barbara. He hopes to one day become a fishing boat captain or open a charter boat business of his own.
Throughout Chase’s ordeal, his mom, Kim Quickel, blogged (chasecq.com) about their family’s ups and downs, as well as the outpouring of support they have received. “I am drawn to the quote by Aesop,” Kim wrote. ”’No act of kindness, no matter how small is ever wasted.’ I hope you all know how appreciative we are for every single solitary gesture of love and support…Our lives will never be ‘normal’ again, and you know what, I think that’s a good thing. The goodness of people has changed all of us forever.”
Contacts:
Dr. Frank Mogavero 949-373-3737/ This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Kim Quickel/Chase Crawford
www.chasecq.com/
Shelley Baker
National Marrow Donor Program
(714)800-1610
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.