Almost a year and a half after joining Gift of Life Marrow Registry as a volunteer donor, Juliette received that special call that she was a match! 

“I joined the registry through my sorority, Alpha Delta Pi,” said Juliette. “I was a sophomore at the University of Vermont in 2023, and wanted the chance to help someone in need, but I understood the matching is so rare that I didn’t really expect it to happen.”  Not only did her sorority help organize the drive, they partnered with Hillel at University of Vermont, a long-time recruitment partner with Gift of Life. 

“A  few days before returning to campus for my senior year, I got the call – I matched a woman in her early 40s diagnosed with acute leukemia,” said Juliette. “I was excited to get the chance to make an impact on someone’s life, even without knowing who she is. My mom was filled with joy that I was getting the opportunity to donate because she has been on the registry for almost 20 years without being called.” 

Fortunately, Juliette was able to schedule her donation during winter break, so she did not have to take time out of classes. Her collection was at Gift of Life’s in-house center, at its headquarters in Boca Raton, Fla.  Her mother joined her as her donation companion – every donor is allowed to bring one person with them to their collection.

“My family was extremely supportive throughout the entire process, and all of them would have sat with me during donation if given the chance,” said Juliette. “While my stem cells were being collected, I watched movies and caught up with my mom. The process went very smoothly, and I felt lucky to have such an easy time with it. I had a headache for a few hours afterward but was back to my normal self the next day.”

Not only did she have a good experience, but word about her donation also spread in her community through family, friends and peers sharing the news, and some were inspired to join the registry themselves. 

“I recommend joining the registry to anyone who is able,” said Juliette. “It is one of the greatest chances in life to become a true hero.”

Looking ahead, as Juliette prepares for a career in medical care, she hopes her generation will help bring more equality to the healthcare system. One of the greatest challenges facing marrow registries worldwide is recruiting a sufficiently diverse population of donors to meet the needs of every patient who can benefit from a blood stem cell transplant. Today, only 29% of Black Americans can find a matching donor.

“As I became more educated about healthcare inequities affecting minority populations, I began to educate my peers,” said Juliette. “I believe our socially and emotionally aware generation will bring awareness to the needs of those who deserve equal access and treatment – potentially leading to more people hearing about the need for donors from diverse ethnicities.”

“Donating made me think more about how my actions can have a large effect on my community, even people across the country,” Juliette added. “Just a few hours of my time can potentially give my recipient more time with her loved ones. Acts of kindness really do have an impact on the world.” 

Juliette is a resident of Glen Ellyn, Ill. and is pursuing the pre-Physician Assistant track at the University of Vermont. She was a member of Alpha Delta Pi sorority. When she’s not studying, she enjoys going to the beach, sewing, baking, skiing, and traveling.