Sebastian, 26, donated stem cells to help save the life of his matching recipient, a man in his 60s diagnosed with myelodysplastic disorder, a form of blood cancer. “I learned about Gift of Life at an on-campus event at Boston College about 3-1/2 years ago,” said Sebastian. “It was surreal to find out I was a match. I got an email just over three months ago, but I had honestly forgotten that I was part of the registry, so it felt really special.” Sebastian connected with his donor services coordinator, who helped arrange for him to donate at the Adelson Collection Center at Gift of Life’s headquarters. “I really didn’t view donating as optional when I got the email that I was a match,” he said. “Here in Boca, everyone took really good care of me. The hotel was wonderful and it was really nice just to be in Florida.” Sebastian encourages anyone interested in learning more to take advantage of Gift of Life’s extensive information online. “If you’re thinking about donating, read up on all the resources Gift of Life has on its website,” he said. “I wasn’t too nervous, but some of my family members were a little bit hesitant, and there’s plenty of background and details available.”

Ashley, 22, was a student at the University of Miami in April 2023 when she joined Gift of Life’s registry at a drive during the school’s Volunteer Week. “I was surprised to get the call in December 2024,” she said. “I signed up not knowing whether I was going to be a match, so I was kind of shocked.” Ashley had her recipient, a woman in her 70s with leukemia, in mind from the beginning. “I decided to donate because this is someone’s family member,” she said. “I thought about how much they could all be going through. If I can just help out, even a little bit, why not donate?” Ashley invited her mother to join her as her donation day companion, and as they are only a few hundred miles from Boca Raton, they decided to make that drive themselves. “Our time in the area was great,” said Ashley. “We checked out the hotel and roamed around the Delray Beach downtown, which was really nice. If you’re thinking of joining the registry, I say do it; you can always opt out, but the process is so easy that I would do it again.”

Jason, 46, joined the registry in 2022 during a Nursing Cohort presentation at Queens University of Charlotte. “It was very humbling to be called as a match, and an honor to be asked to donate when I came up on the registry as a match for a man in his 50s with blood cancer,” said Jason. “I’m a nurse, and I’ve been in health care for a long time, so just giving back to people who are in need is what I find most enjoyable.” There is no cost to donors to help save a life, as Gift of Life makes all travel and hotel arrangements for both the donor and their companion – in this case, Jason’s mother. “During our time here, we’ve walked a lot on the beach and eaten some really good food and obviously enjoyed the Florida sunrises and sunsets,” said Jason. “From the moment we walked in, we were greeted warmly and informed of every step of the process, so we felt really good about the customer service and the reception that we had.” Jason hopes that other people choose to become donors, so that more lives can be saved. “Joining the registry is a personal decision for each one of us, but I would say search in your heart and understand that there are people who are in need of what you can give them,” he said. “It’s truly an honor, and I would just ask that people prayerfully consider giving of themselves to people who really need this lifesaving measure.”