#bethematch.org

If you were an early or frequent tumblr/twitter user back in the 2010s, you probably remember this funny photo tweet of Abdul, @ advil on twitter, and his sister attending a one direction concert.

He is now currently asking for help as his sister has been diagnosed with cancer and is in need of a stem cell donor.

The window to find a matching donor is tight.

The Badge So it seems the cat is out of the bag and my beloved, my better half, has decided to make mention of his battle with leukemia. So this Thursday Doors, and perhaps some in the future, will reflect on that in bits and pieces. But make no mistake, my hubs does not want pity or any of that stuff. His main desire, other than getting better, is to make people aware of the need for donations.…

Received a nice letter this Thanksgiving weekend from the people at bethematch.org thanking me for my bone marrow donation. They also expressed their appreciation for my additional contribution towards research which they said will help save many more lives. The thought of one act having such a domino effect and impacting many lives gives me a feeling full of love and joy.

Very grateful for having the opportunity to provide hope to someone else and contributing to research so that more can be done to help others. The entire process has been enlightening. Seeing how a donor is found, how doctors and nurses come together to provide hope to someone has been a life altering event. Everyone had a role, even my family and friends who provided so much support.  

Not a week passes without someone giving me insight into their life and them sharing how their loved ones are coping with a terminal illness.  I feel like I have been running around with my "eyes wide shut".  I was never fully aware of the life and death difficulties some of my friends are dealing with. I want to support them all.  Isn't that what life is all about?  Helping others?  I think so.  Its the reason i want to share my experience with everyone willing to read so that one day you answer the call when life comes knocking at your door.  There is nothing to fear once you know you are doing the right thing.  You weigh the odds, think of the implication and execute your decision.    

My experience has taught me that I have to live a balanced humble life  because life has a way of balancing and humbling us.  If we don't humble ourselves, life will humble us and trust me you rather humble yourself than have life do it for you.    

It has been a month since my donation and I’m in full motion with no pain at all. I have no lingering concerns. My only wish right now is that the little boy’s body accepted my stem cells and is on his way to recovery. I will check in with my rep for any further information this week. For now, I am just happy for my accomplishment and proud I was able to provide hope to many more people. This feeling never gets old. I can’t wait to share this magical journey with you all as it continues to unfold.

Feeling good…Feeling humbled...Taking nothing for granted.  Life is not guaranteed and it owes me nothing.  Happy to share this with you all...  

And like my good friend always says "I'm just happy to be here little neeezy".   Me too... 

Brave & Generous: The Video

The Brave & Generous video project was a real challenge! The group divided into four teams, each team coming up with an act of bravery and generosity to document.

David and Clare registered at Be The Match an organization that finds suitable bone marrow donors for people with life threatening blood cancer like leukemia and lymphoma. Isiaiah and Ben took the experience to the streets to start a dialogue on a myriad of topics with passers by. Sofia faced her fear of dogs by volunteering at a dog shelter. Jorge and I approached strangers in the streets, asking for hugs.

Overall it was an intense and enriching experience for each of us and, for some, even an inspiration for the upcoming personal projects. 

Here's to becoming fearless!

New Post has been published on http://awesome-facts.net/ysk-i-just-joined-bethematch-org-the-national-bone-marrowstem-cell-registry/

YSK - I Just Joined BeTheMatch.Org - The National Bone Marrow/Stem Cell Registry

YSK – I Just Joined BeTheMatch.Org – The National Bone Marrow/Stem Cell Registry

Be The Match, or bethematch.org, is an organization that helps individuals with certain cancers of the blood find stem cell donors in hopes they will be able to receive a transplant and have a second shot at life.

The chances of finding a match for someone are alread very slim – the best chance is a sibling and it's only a 25% chance. However, because of this registry, more patients may be able to find their match.

Joining the registry is free and extremely easy. Simply sign up online, they'll mail you a kit where you'll take 4 swabs of your mouth and you mail it back. That's it.

If you're called as a potential match, you'll go through a few more test to see if you are in fact the best match for that patient, and if deemed to be so, you'll have the option to donate your stem cells. Any and all costs involved with testing/donation are covered by BeTheMatch.org

It's everbody's right to choose whether or not they join, and I certainly respect your decision one way or another. However, I hope you'll at least give it some thought.

I'll get off my podium now, but wanted to get the word out there.

Thanks for reading!

 Logistics, Emotions, Full Throttle! 

Sherry (my bethematch work up specialist) called me today for the information session.  She overnighted me a package full of information and consent forms. Obviously her job is to make sure I understand the risks and commitment to being a bone marrow donor, but her main focus is to support me through the process.

I read through everything and she did a really good job explaining what the consent forms mean and what the studies and surveys are and how they relate to finding cures and furthering research.

So I signed all those forms, but Sherry told me more about my patient (or bone marrow recipient) and the process she is going through.  Clearly, it is much different than mine. Sherry wanted me to ask as many questions as possible because if I have any doubts about donating it could risk my patient’s life.

I like calling her “my patient". Maybe it is because we are complete strangers, but we are still closely connected.

Now that I signed these forms that gives her medical team the “OK" to begin prepping my patient for the transplant.  From now until August she will undergo toxic and intense chemotherapy which will basically wipe out her immune system and then after one day of rest (the day I donate) she will receive my marrow.

Sherry wanted me to know that if I back out now, it will be life threatening to my recipient. I reassured her that I am 100% in and I have no second thoughts that this is something I want to do. It seemed like a lot of pressure at first, but because her medical team is moving so fast I am confident that they know what they are doing and want to get this woman healthy.

I asked a lot about “what happens after" and her answers were endless… The patient could be cured, the patient could die.  Her body could reject my marrow and they could ask me to donate again, they could ask me to donate white blood cells… I mean it goes on…

I like to think about the best case scenario that everything will go according to plan.  With any type of cancer or life threatening disease things could change in a matter of seconds.  This can all go according to schedule, or get postponed. Whatever it may be, I am preparing myself, but overall I am praying for positive results.

Sherry praised me for my compassion and that was pretty humbling.  I honestly feel like it is my duty to give her my bone marrow.  She said something along the lines of “rearranging my life" for this donation, and I giggled.  I would donate a million times if that meant someone can live a fuller, longer, cancer free life. I can’t fathom anyone ever saying “no I will not donate". Its the least I could do.