Gwar's music might be all about the annihilation of the human race, but Gwar as people couldn't be further than that. After guitarist Michael Derks, better known as Balsac The Jaws Of Death, was diagnosed with Myelofibrosis, the band immediately started down the path of giving hope to patients.
Gwar teamed up with the Love Hope Strength organization to sign up fans for its virtual database of potential bone marrow donors, and Love Hope Strength’s National Tour Manager Rob Rushing tells Richmond Times-Dispatch that the band is currently #1 as far as getting people to sign up.
"They’re the Number 1 band we’ve had on our virtual drive. We’ve partnered with Ozzy Osbourne, all kinds of bands, and GWAR right now has more people signed up for the virtual drive than anyone else by far."
Rushing adds that the chances of a fan matching with someone who is in need of a donor is about 100, and Gwar has signed up close to 30,000 at this point. So given the odds and the number they've signed up, that's around 300 lives potentially saved! Though Rushing does a way better job of explaining it.
"It’s crazy specific. Because you have to match them close enough on the DNA chain that their body accepts it, but there be just enough difference that the body starts making new clean blood cells based on the donor’s DNA so it’s clean — new fresh cells that kill the cancer."
Of course, we wish Derks all the best in getting well, and congratulate the band for being such damn good people.
