Nicole Nelson hopes Oprah can help save her life. She wants the world's most powerful woman - person? - to feature her plight on national TV. She wants to draw attention to the need for bone marrow donors in general.

She needs a match to fight aplastic anemia. Her bone marrow doesn't produce the cells necessary to sustain life. Without a match, and soon, she'll die, leaving behind her husband, Rick, and her 14-month-old daughter, Katie.

With Oprah Winfrey coming to Manchester in nine days to support Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, the time to strike is now.

The Save Nicole Machine is in high gear. And there's hope, a chance that Oprah, once she lands in Manchester and is driven

to her destination, will be handed a packet containing Nicole's personal story, and the need for more donors.

But that nugget comes later.

Right now, Oprah, if you're listening, we sure could use a boost here.

"Some people, when they're sick, they want to be private and stay within themselves, but I'm not in any position to do that," said Nelson, a 35-year-old physician's assistant at Concord Hospital. "I can't imagine an audience that could do more than Oprah's audience. All walks of life would be represented. We have to take advantage of that if we can."

Nicole was diagnosed in September. Her immune system, controlled by white blood cells, can't fight infection. Her blood doesn't clot properly because of a low platelet count. She tires easily without enough red blood cells, which transport oxygen.

Nearly 1,000 donors waited on line at Concord Hospital recently to have their cheeks swabbed, hoping a preliminary match would lead to a blood test down the road. And then a perfect fit.

No match yet.

Other drives were held this month. Nothing thus far.

About 6,000 people nationally are waiting for bone marrow transplants. About 11 million are registered as donors. Ethnicity is the key to finding a match. And a mammoth donor base, to increase the odds.

This is where Concord Hospital's Annie Nason, a nurse practitioner, and Dr. Bob Johnson, one of the physicians Nicole works for, enter our story.

They're on the frontlines, trying to be creative, trying to figure out the best way to get the word out so more people come forward as potential donors.

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