Austin remembers exactly why he wanted to join Gift of Life’s registry.

“I had known people who donated before, and it seemed like a way to help save a life – so why would I not do that?” he said. “The way people talked about being a donor, it sounded like it was worth the time. And though none of my family has had leukemia, cancer has affected everyone in some way – so I hoped to help with that as well.”

Five years after signing up, Austin received a phone call from Gift of Life: he was a match for a man in his 40s diagnosed with leukemia.

“It had been such a long time I completely forgot about it,” said Austin. “When the person on the phone reminded me about swabbing and the donation process, I knew it wasn’t just some random caller. It was a surprise, but this was something I was more than happy to be involved with.”

Fortunately, as a business consultant, Austin works from home most of the time, and it was easy to arrange the time needed for Gift of Life to fly him to Florida to the Adelson Collection Center in Boca Raton. Donors are encouraged to bring a companion with them, and since his wife was staying home with their children, Austin invited his brother to join him.

“When I shared what I was doing with my family, friends, and workplace, they all thought it was great and pitched in to offer support so I could go out of town and donate,” said Austin.

Gift of Life hosts donors at a beachside resort in Delray and gives them a food stipend and transportation to and from the collection center.

“During the stem cell collection, my brother and I watched some movies, played Nintendo, and spent some time hanging out and chatting,” said Austin. “He lives in Colorado and doesn’t get to New York very often, so it was a great opportunity to spend time with him. The overall experience was awesome; we went to some of the nicer restaurants in the area, and it was good to get a few days away from the cold weather in Rochester.”

Although he stepped up to help save someone’s life, Austin is very modest about what he has done.

“Gift of Life put me up in a nice hotel, gave me great food, even though it didn’t feel like I was sacrificing anything to donate, it just felt like a regular thing,” he said. “I would certainly do it again.”

He also offers encouragement to others who are trying to decide whether to join the registry and donate.

“Everyone involved puts you in a great situation to donate and provides you with the best resources,” said Austin. “It’s a smooth and enjoyable process, and the Gift of Life team really values your time and makes donating a great experience.”

Austin is married, has three children, and resides in the Rochester, N.Y. area. He graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy, served in the Air Force, then earned his MBA at the Rochester Institute of Technology, where he also coached the lacrosse team. Austin is a business consultant helping firms navigate the process of offering their products and services to federal agencies. In his free time, he coaches youth lacrosse, gardens, bakes sourdough bread, and spends his time with his children.