In October 2023, the Omega Delta Phi Fraternity at Kansas State University took lifesaving action by hosting a Gift of Life Marrow Registry recruitment drive outside the Student Union. As the fraternity brothers swabbed students passing by, one person who stopped – Jesse – took a small step that would soon prove extraordinary.

“I was on campus that day, and I went to the student union for lunch,” said Jesse. “I saw the Gift of Life table and I knew the importance of swabbing, so I went over and joined the registry that afternoon.”

The fraternity brothers of KSU’s Omega Delta Phi chapter swabbed 12 people that day, but even just one new donor is enough to save a life. Almost a year to the day after the drive, Jesse got a call from Gift of Life: he was a match for a young man battling leukemia.

“I knew that getting called as a match was rare, and after a year, I had kind of assumed I wasn’t going to be contacted,” said Jesse. “So, when Gift of Life reached out, I was in disbelief at first. That turned into excitement very quickly, though! After getting some more information about the patient and next steps, I told everyone in my family. My parents were cautiously optimistic – they weren’t familiar with the process – but everyone was very supportive after I answered their questions and explained how it worked.”

After a couple of tests to confirm that Jesse was the best match available for his patient and a physical to make sure he was healthy enough to proceed, Jesse traveled to South Florida to donate at the Adelson Collection Center located in Gift of Life’s Boca Raton headquarters. Travel expenses and hotel accommodations are provided by Gift of Life, and a meal stipend is also provided to donors and their guests, if they choose to bring one.

On the day of his donation, Gift of Life organized a car service to bring him to the collection center.

“The Gift of Life staff were wonderful,” said Jesse. “I asked a lot of questions during the collection and the nurses were very patient with their answers. They made the whole process very comfortable.”

Peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) collection is done fully conscious through a process called apheresis. In apheresis, a needle is placed in each arm, with blood being drawn from one arm, processed through a cell-separating (apheresis) machine, which identifies and collects only the needed stem cells, and returns the remaining blood to the other arm.

“During my donation, I worked on some homework and listened to music,” said Jesse. “The apheresis machine was so quiet, if not for the restricted movement in one of my arms, I might have forgotten that I was even donating!”

The collection usually takes between four and six hours, and donors are able to return to their normal routines within 24 hours.

After his donation, Jesse returned home to a very proud family. His experience has also inspired him to continue running recruitment drives. Jesse has also had time to reflect on how blessed he is with his health.

“The whole process, from swab to donation, has made it easier to talk about the importance of registries like Gift of Life since I have this firsthand experience,” said Jesse. “I also have a stronger understanding of how blessed I am and how I can use that to help others. I feel like we are supposed to share and build community with each other, and helping my recipient is part of that. If called again, I would donate every time.”

Jesse, 32, lives in Bloomington, Ind., where he is pursuing a job in local government. In his free time, Jesse enjoys all kinds of outdoor activities, but he especially likes hiking and mountain biking. He is also an amateur radio hobbyist.