Stem Cell Drive at Lovers Seafood Seeks Life-Saving Donor Match

If there's something we've seen time and again, it's how the restaurant industry rises up to take care of its own when faced with adversity. And the latest challenge is being met by some of Dallas' most famous restauranteurs.

Dean and Lynae Fearing's 22-year-old son, Campbell, was diagnosed with leukemia just after Thanksgiving and has been undergoing chemotherapy at Presbyterian Dallas. Campbell works at Lovers Seafood while attending Dallas Baptist University.

From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 22, Lovers Seafood will host DKMS, which collects and maintains a global bone marrow donor registry. The Fearings hope to find a match for Campbell as he goes through his second round of chemotherapy.

The Fearing name has a long history on the Dallas dining scene. Dean's culinary career took off as the executive chef of the Mansion at Turtle Creek and as the founder of Fearing's in the Ritz-Carlton. Lynae, along with partner Tracy Rathbun, owns and operates Shinsei, Dea and Lovers Seafood, all on the same stretch of Inwood Road.

The Fearing family has been tested but none of them are a match for Campbell, which isn't surprising. According to DKMS, more than 70% of patients with blood-borne diseases require a donor outside of their family. The bone marrow registration drive hopes to find a match not only for Campbell but possibly for other patients who need a life-saving bone marrow transplant.

Participants in the drive will undergo a simple cheek swab to determine whether they're a match. Any donors who are found would eventually be given shots that would cause them to overproduce blood stem cells. Then, blood stem cells can be collected by a several-hour blood draw, similar to donating platelets or plasma, according to DKMS.

Anyone ages 18 to 55 and in good health can be tested, and Lovers Seafood will have live music and drinks for those in attendance. Lynae Fearing has high hopes that the drive will find a match for her son, but realizes that it's not just her family who will benefit.

"It's a way for us to give back and for others to give back," Lynae Fearing said in a social media post. "If you've wondered like I have, how you could help out, this is the perfect opportunity. You can actually save someone's life."

The Donor Drive for Campbell Fearing is 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 22, at Lovers Seafood, 5200 W. Lovers Lane.