Shortly after joining the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) in 1989, Terry Farrell, who lived in Hicksville, volunteered to be tested as a potential bone marrow donor. Farrell was part of a new program initiated by a fellow firefighter who had lost his sister from leukemia.

Four years later, Farrell was notified that he was a positive marrow match for Chantyl Peterson, a 6-year-old girl from Las Vegas, NV who was deathly ill with T-cell lymphoma. When asked if he would undergo the painful transplant procedure, Farrell's decision, as he referred to it, was a "no brainer." He believed that whatever discomfort he might experience was of no consequence if the little girl's life could be saved.

A year later, Farrell was notified that the transplant had been a success and a tearful reunion took place between Farrell, Chantyl and their families. Chantyl was treated to a tour of New York City, a fireboat ride and lunch with Farrell at Windows on the World at the World Trade Center.

On September 11, 2001, Terry Farrell went to the World Trade Center once again, this time as a member of the FDNY's elite Rescue Company #4. On that tragic day, Farrell, 342 of his brother firefighters and 60 police officers, lost their lives when the Twin Towers collapsed. Farrell's death marked the end of a life dedicated to the welfare of others.

Prior to his service with the fire department, Farrell had been a New York City Transit Police officer, serving in the Emergency Services Unit. In the community, he was a former chief of the Hicksville Fire Department and was the 1st Assistant Chief of the Dix Hills Fire Department at the time of his death.

Farrell was also a tireless recruiter for the FDNY Bone Marrow Program. He would address every new class of probationary fire fighters and stress the importance of registering as a potential donor. Every time he would retell the story of Chantyl Peterson, Farrell would beam at the memory of that little girl. Farrell's efforts, and those of the bone marrow program's founder, retired firefighter Mark Kwalwasser, have resulted in many happy endings. To date, 35 other firefighters have successfully donated their bone marrow to save the lives of strangers.

In the aftermath of the terrible events of September 11, 2001, the Police Emerald Society of Nassau County (PESNC) discussed ways to memorialize the many men and women who died that day. Terry Farrell's brothers, Dennis of the Nassau County Police Department and Kevin of the Metropolitan Transit Authority Police Department, both members of the PESNC, decided a fitting memorial to their brother would be to continue his work in the area of bone marrow donor recruitment.

Born was the Terry Farrell Marrow Fund. As a result, the PESNC, in conjunction with the National Marrow Foundation and Long Island Blood Services, will host the following combination blood drive/marrow donor recruitment in Nassau and Suffolk County:

* Saturday, Oct. 12 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Dix Hills Fire Department, East Deer Park Road

Sayville Fire Department, 107 North Main Street

* Monday, Oct. 14 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Jericho Fire Department, 424 North Broadway

Freeport Fire Department, 15 Broadway.

Everyone attending will have the option of giving blood and/or signing up for the donor program. Past medical history may not prevent you from registering as a marrow donor. Learn, as Terry Farrell did, that within each of us is the potential to save another human being's life.

For further information, call 1-800-933-BLOOD (2566), ext. 31.