Isaac had a clear understanding about stem cell transplantation before he joined Gift of Life in September 2017. A member of his community was in need of a matching donor, and having turned 18 that year, Isaac was able to join the registry at one of the local drives.
“I didn’t think I would ever end up donating, given the low chances of matching,” said Isaac. “My late father had non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and a stem cell transplant when I was younger – my uncle was his match and donated to him. This was a big part of the reason I wanted to swab, and why I said ‘Yes’ right away when I got the call. I saw within my own family what the transplant was able to give him, all those extra years when he was well and feeling good.”
Isaac’s father passed away in 2016, but it was not from lymphoma.
“My dad was fine and healthy until 2012 when he came down with an unrelated cancer,” said Isaac. “He was a volunteer paramedic and a first responder on 9/11 and worked at Ground Zero for the two weeks after that. The new cancer (gastric) was traced back to that. Unfortunately, we now know that the air was not safe.”
When Isaac learned he was a match for a man diagnosed with leukemia, he knew he would donate.
“I just wanted to talk to my mom first, and she gave her immediate approval, so I called Gift of Life back and said, ‘Let’s do this,’” said Isaac. His employer also encouraged him to “go for it and help someone out.”
Isaac donated at Gift of Life’s Adelson Collection Center located in the headquarters in Boca Raton, Fla. During his procedure, Isaac worked remotely and also took a short nap.
“I had a great experience there,” said Isaac. “I had a little care package in the hotel, and a gift card to get food, that was really nice. I went to the office to get the Neupogen injection the day before. On my donation day, the process was super smooth, everyone was very friendly, and the donation was a lot quicker than I thought it would be – I was done before noon.”
Stem cell donors receive injections of Neupogen (filgrastim) for four days before donating to help mobilize their blood stem cells. Neupogen has been used in blood stem cell donation for decades and some donors get a few minor side effects, like headache, aching bones, and or a backache. Once the donation takes place and the extra stem cells are collected, the symptoms go away within hours.
“My lower back was a bit uncomfortable beforehand, but as soon as the donation started, I began to feel better,” said Isaac. “By 24 hours later I was 95% normal, and the day after that I was 100% normal.”
Isaac feels it is special that his recipient is a stranger.
“I would have done this for anyone who needed a transplant,” said Isaac. “If I was in that position and met my donor, I might feel obligated in some way, and I don’t want my recipient to feel that way. There’s no price on giving someone another day, month, or year. There’s no price on them having more time with their family members, their siblings and children. You have this way to positively affect so many people. Donating is definitely worth it if the opportunity comes up for you."
Isaac, 28, hopes his donation story inspires others to join the registry. He was recently married in December and works as an operations manager for an applied behavioral analysis organization working with autistic children. He has also followed in his father’s footsteps as a volunteer paramedic and is currently attending nursing school.