Swab for Gigi Drive Highlight of St. Anthony’s Feast

While the 100th Annual St. Anthony’s Feast in the North End over the weekend was filled with the usual processions, food, music and other Italian traditions, there was one tent set up to help a 2-year-old Peabody girl that suffers from a rare immunodeficiency syndrome that became the feast’s highlight.

Gigi D’Amore has Mendelian susceptibility to mycobacterial diseases (MSMD )that requires a bone marrow transplant and the little girl got a ton of support from feast North End goers over the weekend.

The tent at the feast served as a drive-thru swab event to try and find a donor match for Gigi. Hundreds of North End residents, feast goers and St. Anthony’s Feast organizers participated in the event and swabbed to see if they were a match for Gigi.

The “Swab for Gigi” event was looking for people 18 to 44 years old to be tested as a possible match for Gigi and 357 new people were added to the Be The Match registry at St. Anthony’s Feast.

“In a weekend full of traditions and community pride, one of the best moments was the 357 new people added to the Be The Match registry at the St. Anthony’s Feast during the Swab for Gigi event,” said Rep. Aaron Michelwitz and St. Anthony’s Feast organizer. “I’m also proud to say that the House of Representatives led the way in securing $300,000 in this year’s state budget for Be The Match in honor of Gigi and her family’s crusade to find the match.”

Michelwitz said those who could not make the event, but still want to see if they are a possible match, can text 61474 and write SwabforGigi, and a testing kit will be sent to you.

“My family and I are beyond grateful for all of the love and support we have received,” said Gigi’s mother Angie DiPrizio D’Amore. “Thank you so much for spreading the word and encouraging anyone you know ages 18-44 to join Bethematch.org. This weekend was amazing. Thank you to my family, friends, Be The Match volunteers and to the complete strangers who stepped up to help find Gigi and so many others a match. Thank you Aaron Michlewitz and the House of Representatives for supporting Be The Match and continuing to save lives.”*