#mpns

They’re gorgeous, and give you a snapshot into each of their stories:

To say Amy and Scott are an active, outdoorsy couple is kind of an understatement -- they even met on the ski slopes. But when Amy gets sicker, they wonder if they’ll have to give up the things they love. Spoiler alert: Amy went sky-diving last week.

While studying to become a doctor, Taja becomes so sick she has to give up her dream -- even though you couldn’t tell it from outward appearance. (“You look fine,” her boss says to her at one point.)

Nick is diagnosed just after he finds out his wife is pregnant, and worries about leaving his young family behind.

Barbara, a scuba diver and ocean lover with a background in marine biology, has to stay out of the ocean for FIVE YEARS after her bone marrow transplant due to her suppressed immune system. She visits the beach and watches the other beachgoers enjoy the ocean, wondering if they know how lucky they are... until one day, she finally gets her chance to return...

This show really drove home how important it is to sign up for the bone marrow registry -- you could save the life of someone like our amazing storytellers! (In fact, Paula was already on it!) One of the storytellers, Scott, told me that these days, in most cases, the donation procedure is just a matter of getting blood taken, instead of the painful procedure it used to be. So there was really no reason NOT to do it. I signed up last night, on BeTheMatch.org, and they’re going to mail me a cheek swab to return, so they can match me with potential donors in their system. If you’re moved by these stories like I am, I highly recommend doing the same! It took me only five minutes to sign up on the Be the Match website on my phone, and it felt great.