Continuing the excitement of the National Hockey League's “Hockey Fights Cancer” games in November, the Nashville Predators and, for the first time, the San Jose Sharks, featured Gift of Life donor-recipient meetings to emphasize the opportunity for their fans to step up and become donors.
On being introduced to each other, both pairs met with incredible enthusiasm and cheers from the fans, and long lines formed at the donor registration tables in each arena.
Transplant recipient William Ochs, 42, of Hugo, Minn., was grateful to meet his blood stem cell donor Hayden Duncan, 28, of Millport, Ala., at the Nashville Predators' November 22 “Hockey Fights Cancer” game at the Bridgestone Arena.
Hayden joined the registry during a presentation by Gift of Life at FarmHouse Fraternity at Mississippi State University in 2017, when he was an undergraduate.
“Making a difference to others is important to me, and it felt like the right thing to do,” said Hayden. Eight years later, he was surprised to learn he was the best match for a patient in need because it had been such a long time, but he quickly became excited about the chance to help a stranger.
That person was William, whose diagnosis of Acute Myeloid Leukemia was a shock to him and his family. Although none of his family members were a match, his doctors turned to the registry to search for a donor.
“We always had faith that we would find a donor, and when it happened, our whole family felt relief; it was an answer to the questions about, ‘What’s next?’” said William. “I was eager to meet him and express my gratitude for his selflessness.”
Hayden also feels that the opportunity has been incredibly worthwhile.
“Donating through Gift of Life has been one of the greatest and most memorable experiences of my life,” he said. “The collection process is much quicker and easier than you would expect, and I’d like others to know they can make a difference by joining the registry.”
Rounding out the year’s Hockey Fights Cancer activities, the San Jose Sharks invited Gift of Life to share our mission with their fans at the SAP Center on December 18, including a donor and recipient introduction. Randy Gordon, a 68-year-old survivor of myelofibrosis and a resident of Las Vegas, Nev., met his lifesaving stem cell donor, Nik Burton, 28, of San Jose, Calif., for the first time during a break in the game.
The crowd welcomed the two men with enthusiasm, and after their meeting, the two new friends decided to head down to the swab table, answer people’s questions and help recruit new donors. Thanks to their presence, all the kits assigned for the drive were quickly used up, and extra kits being held for another drive were brought in to enroll even more people for their chance to save a life.
Randy’s condition was first discovered during a routine physical when his bloodwork came back with unusual results.
“I was stunned and scared about the toll this was going to take on my wife and family,” he said. “My family was hoping for the best in terms of finding a good donor match. A lot of emotions happen when the doctors find that person: happiness, anxiety, and nervousness.”
Nik and his sister had both joined Gift of Life during their Birthright Israel trip in 2018. Gift of Life has had a partnership with Birthright since 2004 to give young Jewish adults a chance to pay it forward as they tour Israel.
“I was both shocked and excited to get the call that I was a match for a patient,” said Nik. “The first person I contacted was my sister, and she was just as excited as I was. The donation team did an amazing job and made sure I was comfortable and well-cared-for.”
Randy was full of gratitude and could not wait to tell Nik how deeply his stem cell donation had affected him, in addition to saving him.
“Thank you, Nik, for this second chance at life,” said Randy. “I try to take every opportunity to pay it forward, and I now live life with a sense of urgency. I try my best to live in the moment and with gratitude.”
Thank you to the National Hockey League, the Nashville Predators and the San Jose Sharks for partnering with us to bring donors and recipients together and to help raise awareness of the need for blood stem cell donors to give patients in need a second chance at life.
NOTE: Gift of Life will be introducing two more donors to their grateful recipients at upcoming Hockey Fights Cancer events: