Hadi and his wife immediately decided to join the registry after they heard a radio ad announcing the search for the miracle match of a young girl in need of a transplant. The recruitment drive they attended was held at Concordia University in Montreal, Canada. Hadi said, “My wife thought it would be a good way to honor our daughter who had died on that day two years prior, and to see if we could save a life.” 

 

When he later learned he was a match for a 26-year-old man suffering from Hodgkin’s lymphoma, Hadi was shocked. He said, “It is not too often someone tells you that a decision you are about to make will decide the fate of another human being.” 

 

With two young children (ages two and one at the time), Hadi wanted to be sure that donating posed no risk to him. Once he had all of the information, he was “ready to dive in” and proceeded with the donation. He gave his peripheral blood stem cells at Apheresis Associates of Northern Virginia and described the process as “excellent.” Hadi added, “Gift of Life was super accommodating. I had to take some time off work, but everyone understood and supported me, including my wife who was there for me throughout the process.” 

 

The donation process is anonymous but Hadi explained that the match made him think a lot about himself. He said, “I thought about the joy of what life has offered me since my 26th birthday. To think that someone might miss out on that saddened me.” He added, “If I were to ever meet the man I donated to, I would tell him that he is the real hero. His battle inspires me. I would love to meet him if there is a chance.”