In 2012, while attending classes at Kansas State University, Ashley saw a booth manned by members of the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority who had partnered with Gift of Life to hold a recruitment drive. Hearing about how her stem cells held the power to save a life inspired Ashley to join the marrow registry.
“I knew even then how blessed I was to have my health,” said Ashley. “I wanted to use that to help someone in need. My mom has lung cancer, which isn’t something a donor can help with. I would give anything for my mom to have the chance to have her life saved by a transplant, so I wanted to be there for someone else if I could.”
Twelve years later, Ashley was at work when she received a phone call from a number with a Boca Raton area code. It was Gift of Life. Ashley had been contacted before about possibly being a match for someone in 2021, but when a closer match for that patient was identified, she was released back into the donor pool. Learning that she had matched someone else and would have the chance to help a man in his 30s battling leukemia was exciting for her.
“I just couldn’t believe I was called again to donate,” said Ashley. “I told my family and friends who were very supportive of me, as was my workplace.”
Prior to her donation, she had a series of Neupogen injections, a synthetic version of naturally occurring proteins in the body that helps to stimulate peripheral blood stem cell production.
“I had some minor side effects from the injections, some soreness, but that was about it,” said Ashley.
Gift of Life arranged her travel so she could donate at the state-of-the-art Adelson Collection Center in Florida.
“The Gift of Life staff were incredible,” said Ashley. “They were so kind and made sure I had everything I needed. They went above and beyond to make sure I had the most positive experience. My donation was very easy and stress-free, and I felt great after a couple of days of rest following the collection.”
Donating has really given her an appreciation for her own health and the life she has.
“Finding out that my recipient was close to my age really put things into perspective for me,” she said. “It makes me wonder where this person would be if I hadn’t submitted my swab kit. I just feel so blessed that I was able to provide that second chance to someone.”
Based on her experience, Ashley urges everyone to join the registry.
“Just get out there and swab your cheeks,” she said. “When I registered, I never thought in a million years that I would get matched with someone, but you never know if you don’t try.”
Ashley, 32, lives in Kansas where she works for an award-winning wedding dress brand. She graduated from Kansas State University in 2015. In her free time, she enjoys baking, going for walks outside, and listening to music.