Every March, members of Gift of Life Marrow Registry’s Campus Ambassador Program hold “Match Madness” themed drives at universities and colleges across the country, during the annual NCAA March Madness basketball games. In 2023, Jade joined the registry at one of these drives, held at her engineering fraternity Theta Tau at Clemson University.

“I always donate blood and plasma whenever I can,” said Jade. “When I learned about Gift of Life and the potential of saving someone’s life, I didn’t really have to think twice about it. While the odds of being a match are low, I enjoy helping others and saw it as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to give someone a second chance at life.”

Eleven months to the day after joining the registry, Jade received a phone call from Gift of Life. She had been identified as a match for a man in his 60s diagnosed with myelodysplastic disorder, a form of cancer where blood cells are malformed and do not function as they should. A peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) transplant is the best chance of a cure for many patients.

“I was shocked, not only because of the odds, but because it was so quick,” said Jade. “I was in between classes when I got the call, and I had to take a minute to process what I was feeling. But in my head, I already knew that I was going to say yes.”

After a long conversation with a Gift of Life Donor Services Specialist who explained the donation process to Jade and answered all of her questions, she called her parents to tell them about the opportunity.

“I was expecting a little resistance,” said Jade. “But after a few questions, they were on board. I remember my dad saying to me, ‘I mean why would you not? This is a man’s life.”’

Jade donated PBSC at Gift of Life’s state-of-the-art Adelson Collection Center in sunny Boca Raton, Fla.

“The whole process was fairly easy,” said Jade. “After getting set up, I chose to watch a movie on Netflix and chatted with the staff as they were in and out. The Gift of Life staff took fantastic care of me. Everyone was so helpful and nice. I even gave a hug to my Apheresis Specialist and thanked her for being so awesome. My donation appointment started at 8:00 a.m., and I finished donating just before noon, so it wasn’t a long process. In terms of recovery, I went home and took a nap before going to dinner with my mom who accompanied me to my donation. I felt fine the next day.”

After donating, Jade won her Theta Tau chapter’s Brother of the Month award in recognition of her stepping up to help someone in need. All of this led Jade to apply to become a Gift of Life Campus Ambassador and help recruit more donors to join the registry. Later, she learned that her actual brother was so inspired by her lifesaving experience that he also joined the registry.

“It was incredibly rewarding, and I am so thankful for a successful donation,” said Jade. “I think being young and healthy is something we often take for granted. This serves as a reminder to enjoy life and help others when you can.”

Jade encourages everyone to join the registry.

“I know it’s not always fair to say this but imagine it’s your loved one who needs a donor,” said Jade. “You would want them to have the best possible chance at finding a match. It is a super easy process and Gift of Life makes sure you have everything you need before, during and after the collection. Step out of your comfort zone and choose to have a positive impact on a stranger!”

Jade, 21, lives in North Carolina, where she is an undergraduate student majoring in biomedical engineering at Clemson University. She is also a member of the Theta Tau Professional Engineering Fraternity. In her free time, Jade enjoys hiking, weight training and spending time with family and friends. She expects to graduate in May.