Our little AML friend, 8 month old Aubree, received a bone marrow transplant yesterday from her 4 year old brother. You can see tons of pictures of the process HERE. If Aubree hadn't received a bone marrow transplant her survival rate would have been only 10%. Thanks to the bone marrow from her brother she now has a 90% survival rate! Isn't that amazing?!
Last week John and I finally joined the bone marrow registry. Today I received my bone marrow registration packet in the mail. I had to swab my cheek 4 times and then I put it in the mail. Now I sit and wait to be someone's match and hopefully save their life. Maybe I'll never match anyone or maybe I'll be someone's ONLY match!
On April 6th our friend Tanner is getting a bone marrow transplant. They were able to find a 10/10 match through the bone marrow registry and it is saving his life. This is the second time Tanner has had cancer and he is such an amazing example of strength for us all.
It's such an easy process to join the registry AND it was free. You could be someone's ONLY match. After I sealed my envelope with my cheek swabs in it I started crying and hoping that I can help save someone else's life. I really felt like I did something important today. It is such a miracle that so many of our cancer friends are making it. It is a miracle that Erin is home and well with us.
If Erin's leukemia were to relapse then our next step would be a bone marrow transplant. We would be searching through those 2 million names of people who have already joined and pray hard that we could find a perfect match. Please consider joining today.
You can join the registry if you are age 18 to 60. Just about anyone can join! Those who cannot join are those who have AIDS, cancer, herniated disc or spine fracture/rods in your back, had hepatitis B or C, serious or chronic kidney problems, liver disease, organ or tissue transplant, active Tuberculosis, and if your BMI is extremely low or extremely high.
A bone marrow donation can either (1) be taken from your hip while you are sedated or (2) like when you give plasma through a needle in your arm or (3) cord blood from a newborn.
what a wonderful post, jill! i loved what you said about feeling like you did something really important after you completed your swabs. i felt the same way - talk about a natural high and feeling like you are making a difference! it is such a simple thing to do that can mean EVERYTHING to someone else. ah! i have strong feelings about this. :) i'll just say, amen and amen to what you said! :)
ReplyDeleteoh and p.s. i like that video - so powerful!
ReplyDeleteLOVE that video! I agree with Briana, amen...amen!
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