In April of 2013, I was walking around my college campus and saw a group of people signing up for the marrow registry. I went over and did the quick, easy process - and then promptly went on with my life.
In November of 2013, I received a series of calls and emails informaing me i was a match for a woman battling non-hodgkins lymphoma. I immediately agreed to do what I could to help this woman and on January 27th, 2014, I donated blood stem cells. Afterward, i advocated fro stem cell donation until i graduated, and then the event became a distant memory.
Until April of 2019, when I began to work at Gift of Life on the recruitment team. Of coruse, everyone asked me if I had any interaction with my recipient or if I had met her. I hadn't, but they encouraged me to connect. I got to learn my recipient's name, Lisa, and we conencted via email and Facebook. Then, in August of 2019, Gift of Life surprised me by bringing her to the Campus Ambassador Symposium to meet in person.
Now, Lisa and I are close and speak regularly. Every day she reminds me of the good we all are capable of doing in the world.
A few months ago, my 12 year old cousin, Isaiah, was rushed to the hospital. He was soon diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL). He has been in and out of treatment since then, and the ups and downs of cancer treatment have been tough on our entire family. As of now, he does not need a marrow or stem cell transplant, but the future is uncertain.
Regardless of what he needs, his situation has reminded me of the impact of cancer on us all. Joining the registry or giving a financial contribution gives hope to people like Isaiah and my family, who are uncertain in these trying times.
Gift of Life is a 501 (c) 3 Nonprofit public charity. All of your donations are tax deductivle! It costs Gift of Life $60 to add each person to the registry. These costs are related to testing of the kits to determine HLA typing. Therefore, every $60 donated is equal to one more person on the registry. Every person on the registry is hope for a patient like Lisa or Isaiah.
If you want to hlep, share this link with your social circle, sign up to be a volunteer donor, or doante money to the cause. Attedn a gift of life event, follow Gift of Life on social media. If you are a college student, apply to the Campus Ambassador Program! If anyone you know gets called as a match, encoruage them to go through with it!
We all have the power to save a life. Let's change the world together.
A donor sponsored by Sean's Hope for Tomorrow has matched a 48 year old man battling Acute Myelogenous Leukemia.
A donor sponsored by Sean's Hope for Tomorrow has matched a 55 year old man battling Acute Myelogenous Leukemia.
A donor sponsored by Sean's Hope for Tomorrow has matched a 55 year old man battling Myelodysplastic Disorder.