Be The Match: My Almost Donor Story -

For the thousands of people diagnosed every year with life-threatening blood cancers like leukemia and lymphoma, a cure exists. Over the past 25 years Be The Match ^® , operated by the National Marrow Donor Program ^® (NMDP), has managed the largest and most diverse marrow registry in the world. We work every day to save lives through transplant.

April 29th, 2016: I saw a friend of a friend post on Facebook about how they were matched as a donor for a young boy in need of a transplant. He posted the link and I decided that I should give it a go. I hadn’t honestly considered ever being a donor before because I didn’t really know that process. I assumed I would never be a match.

May 2016: A few weeks after I signed up I received the swab kit. It consisted of four labeled and sealed swabs that I simply had to swab my inner cheek with. I sealed them back up, and sent them back on their way.

March 30th, 2017: I received an email at the end of the day while I was at work, less than a year after I signed up. I know now that this is apparently a rare occurrence. I just checked my email like any other normal day, but somehow how 3 emails from the same place. And then I got a phone call. I listened to the voicemail and the email and I couldn’t believe it. There was only one other person still left at work with me and I immediately told him. Then, as I was walking out to my car I called them back and said I would start the process. This was then followed by a 30-45 minutes phone conversation about my medical history, a very intense medical questionnaire, and information of what the donation process would be like. The typical time commitment for the donation process is 20-30 hours of your time spread out over a four-to-six-week period. This does not include travel time, which is defined by air travel and staying overnight in a hotel. Nearly 40% of donors will travel during the donation process

She explained to me to the two methods: Peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) and marrow.

Bone marrow donation is a surgical procedure that takes place in a hospital operating room. Doctors use needles to withdraw liquid marrow (where the body’s blood-forming cells are made) from both sides of the back of your pelvic bone. You will be given anesthesia and feel no pain during the donation. After donation, your liquid marrow is transported to the patient’s location for transplant.
Peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) donation is one of two methods of collecting blood-forming cells for bone marrow transplants. The same blood-forming cells that are found in bone marrow are also found in the circulating (peripheral) blood. PBSC donation is a nonsurgical procedure, called apheresis. For 5 days leading up to your PBSC donation, you will be given injections of a drug called filgrastim to increase the number of blood-forming cells (also called blood stem cells) in your bloodstream. On the day of your PBSC donation, your blood is removed through a needle in one arm and passed through a machine that will collect only the blood-forming cells. The remaining blood is returned to you through a needle in the other arm. This process is similar to what is used when donating blood platelets. 90% of all PBSC donations are completed in 1 apheresis session, which may take up to 8 hours. The remaining 10% of the donations are completed in 2 apheresis sessions, which will take 4 to 6 hours each.

It was a whirlwind of excitement and nerves, and I didn’t know how to react. All I knew was that I had to do it. I had to try even if I didn’t end up being a perfect match.

April: I went in for some blood tests at a local lab and held my breath I wouldn’t pass out. (blood and I aren’t friends). I gave about 7-8 viles of blood and just waited for call. A few weeks later I got the call that I was not the primary donor – but I was the secondary. Therefore, I was on standby for May 23rd- 24th to donate through the peripheral blood stem cell method. I was relieved it was not the full bone marrow donation as I felt like this would be more difficult to deal with. She told me that apparently 50% of primary donors fall through and the secondary donor than becomes the primary donor. Additionally, that the entire process depends on the person needing the donation. If she is not healthy enough, or the doctor decides to take a different treatment path, this could change quickly. Although I was the secondary donor, I made arrangements and plans to donate if I was needed. I wanted to stick to the commitment.

May 23rd-24th: The day that almost was, as I now call it. I found myself disappointed but also relieved. I had a lot of wedding plans and things going on that a possible five days down could set me back. I received no phone call or email stating that I was to be the primary donor, so my assumptions were that I was to not donate.

May 25th: I am curious. I am wondering. I do not know how the 19-year old female girl with the life threatening leukemia is doing: Did the primary donor provide what she needed? Was she even healthy enough to go through the process? Does she now have the chance to fulfill her plans for her future that she spent time thinking wouldn’t come? Did she find peace? And then, I find myself thinking the hard things: Did she make it? Did the process extend her life and end it prematurely?

June 1st: I received a call at work. The primary donor went through with the process and the procedure went well for them. I know nothing more.

The process humbled me, and truly made me realize the amazing differences we can make it people’s lives big and small. Whether you donate your bone marrow or your kidney, or you simply give someone a smile – these things matter.