Bruce Denniston was a well-liked, dynamic RCMP constable stationed in Powell River, BC with his wife and three children. With the loyalty of many friends and the admiration of his co-workers, he seemed to be living the perfect life. But one day in November, 1987 this young family man's life was turned upside down when he was diagnosed with chronic myelocytic leukemia. The doctors told him his only hope for long term survival was a bone marrow transplant. None of his family members were compatible donors, so the search began for an unrelated donor. At that time, Canada's fledgling Unrelated Bone Marrow Registry, a pilot program of the Red Cross, contained the names of only 1500 potential bone marrow donors from all of Canada.

Finding a compatible bone marrow donor can be like finding a needle in a haystack but in a remarkable outpouring of support, the public and the RCMP joined forces to find that needle. The Bruce Denniston Bone Marrow Society was formed with the sole purpose of providing financial assistance to the Registry so that it could expand and give Bruce and all patients like him a second chance at life.

A donor was finally found for Bruce in England but the disease had ravaged his body for too long and the treatment required to prepare the young constable for the marrow transplant had taken its toll and he could not recover. He died in 1989, and his funeral (below) was attended by an honour guard of RCMP officers.