Be The Match, I’m a match
In 1998 I registered to be a bone marrow donor with the Be The Match organization. Nothing really happened until a week ago. I received an email in addition to the letter below, stating that I might be a match for a six-year-old boy. There was additional paperwork to go through to make sure that I was willing to continue and consent to further testing. Be The Match was able to use my old sample to confirm that I am a match for the boy (second letter from LifeSource below). So now I wait until the boy is ready for the transplant. I can’t tell you how it feels to possibly be able to help this boy.
☺Why bone marrow transplant?
There are many diseases that can benefit from bone marrow transplants, e.g. leukemia, lymphoma, and sickle cell anemia. In the case of sickle cell anemia, the patient’s blood can become crescent shaped (hence the name) and get stuck in the capillaries. It’s very painful. For leukemia and lymphoma the patient often receives either chemotherapy or radiation therapy to essentially wipe out the cancerous blood cells. In all conditions, the donor’s bone marrow helps make healthy blood for the patient.
☺How do they do the transplant?
Many of you have probably heard of the big needles that are used to get the bone marrow from the donor. Under anesthesia, special needles are used to extract liquid bone marrow from the left and right sides of the pelvic bone (from the back). http://goo.gl/l0byD6 The liquid bone marrow is injected into the patient intravenously. It takes about 15 days for the donor stem cells to engraft, i.e., find their way to the bone marrow and start producing blood cells. A more recent method, peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC), is more like a real-time platelet donation. With a platelet donation, the donated blood is spun at high speed and centripetal force drives the blood cells to the bottom of the tube and plasma (including platelets) stays in the liquid portion of the sample. In the PBSC method, the donor is given drugs to increase the circulating stem cells. Basically blood is taken out from one arm, the stem cells are removed using a technique called apheresis. The donor’s blood is returned, minus the stem cells.
I don’t know much about the patient and I won’t know for some time. If the patient’s family chooses, I may learn more later. Do me a favor and have positive thoughts for this six-year-old boy so that everything goes well.
More info:
Happy #ScienceSunday
January 20, 2014
Thanks Gnotic Pasta. I’ve mentioned before that this is very exciting.
January 20, 2014
Good for you, Chad Haney. I firmly believe we’re put on this planet to help each other out, when and as much as we can, regardless of whether we even know the people we’re helping. The world needs far more people willing to do things like this.
January 20, 2014
I’ve been on the registry since ’93 but I’ve never matched. I’ll be thinking of you both.
January 20, 2014
I made it to the second stage once, but not any further and it wasn’t clear why. I hope the patient found someone with a closer match and all was well. But I would have done it too. Good on you.
January 20, 2014
Thanks Jean Liss. Jesse Hollington I was taught that it is good to give and it’s even better to give without attachment, i.e., without expectation of who the recipient is and what you will get in return.
January 20, 2014
Good luck to you both.
January 20, 2014
Chad Haney That’s great to hear! Being a bi weekly platelet donor working on 21 gallon pin, can only imagine how you feel! Your Awesome!!!
January 20, 2014
This is awesome Chad! My prayers and thoughts are with the little boy. Keep us updated 🙂
January 20, 2014
Thanks Mary Mangan. LifeSource mentioned that there could be some insurance issues for the patient which makes me a bit angry.
January 20, 2014
Thank you Steve A and Zee L. It really means a lot to me. I want to help this boy so much.
January 20, 2014
Hope they get everything worked out for this to happen. Please do update
January 20, 2014
(sigh) Being lucky enough to live in a country with universal healthcare, it genuinely pains me when I see what many folks in the U.S. have to deal with in that regard.
January 20, 2014
At my age, when I look back, I can’t imagine my life being in jeopardy at six-years-old. Even if this kid’s life isn’t at risk, I can’t imagine being in a situation like this at his age.
January 20, 2014
It’s inspiring to read this thread. Thanks for the inspiration to Chad Haney and others!
January 20, 2014
Thanks Thomas Kang. Fingers are crossed that it works out.
January 20, 2014
Can St. Judes Hospital help?
January 20, 2014
I have a friend getting a transplant from her sister in the coming weeks. It is the best gift ever. Another friend couldn’t find a match but they were able to harvest his own stem cells for his transfusions following chemo. I stored the kids umbilical blood when they were born as an insurance policy and they get ownership at 18 to keep or donate.
January 20, 2014
Chad Haney An acquaintance of mine just lost her six-year-old daughter to a heart condition. There’s nothing that could have been done in this case, but as the father of a four-year-old myself, I can’t even begin to imagine (or don’t want to think about) the pain involved in this.
As a parent I would do anything and everything in my power to save my daughter and would be eternally grateful to anybody who would be willing to be a donor to save my child’s life.
January 20, 2014
Steve A I really don’t know. I always assumed that geography would play a role. However, Be The Match told me that travel might be required (they cover that expense).
That’s great forward thinking Jean Liss.
January 20, 2014
Thanks Peter Lindelauf. Part of me is thinking about the boy and part of me is thinking about what the parents must be going through.
January 20, 2014
Good luck, I’ll be rooting for the little boy and of course, for you <3
January 20, 2014
Thanks Rajini Rao. It means a lot that my G+ friends will be sending positive thoughts for this boy.
January 20, 2014
For the first kid, I drove to work with my collection kit in the car for the whole last trimester just in case I went into labor. By the time the other kids came it was more common place and the hospitals kept them on hand. I’m out of the baby making business, but I think they encourage donation if you don’t want to keep (pay for storage) for yourself. But even though it is more common, minorities still have difficulties getting a match.
January 20, 2014
Must be horrible to say the least. Helpless comes to mind. If needed I donate platelets, plasma, packed red cells. If needed I’ll donate it for this! Chad Haney just let me know. Think credit can be given (if not mistaken) where you hopefully end up, to make this happen.
January 20, 2014
Good luck to you both.
January 20, 2014
Thanks Aida Hazlan. I’m an organ donor too. It’s optional here too.
January 20, 2014
Thanks Phil Hord
January 20, 2014
You are doing a great thing!
My former boss’s son died from sickle cell while on a plane. It is a scary disease.
January 20, 2014
Thanks Angie Creasy-Thompson. My understanding is that fatalities in the US from sickle cell anemia is not common. I do know that it can be painful. I hope things work out for this boy and that someday I can learn more about his condition.
January 20, 2014
I’m on the registry, too, but never been matched. It’s fantastic you’ll be able to help this child.
January 20, 2014
I hope so Lex Larson. It’s not a done deal yet but my fingers are crossed.
January 20, 2014
I’ve been on it since 2004 and never matched but I’m hopeful. Congratulations.
January 20, 2014
Thanks Patrick Horgan. I hope we can all help someone, someday.
January 20, 2014
Thanks Alicia Inez Perez. I’m glad to hear that so many people on G+ are also on the registry.
January 20, 2014
Chad Haney This is absolutely wonderful and I am both smiling and have tears in my eyes. I wish the very best for you and this special little boy. Finding a match is not an easy thing, so this is truly extra-ordinary!
I remember so well a moment when some marrow arrived, in this case, from Norway, (usually, we didn’t know where from). My colleague said, “You are holding Life in your hands.” I will never forget that moment and what a gift it was to be part of that experience. This is fantastic!
January 20, 2014
Good luck with this. I wish all the best for you both.
January 20, 2014
Thanks Christian Wietholt. Thanks Mara Rose for sharing that story. That makes this even more special.
January 20, 2014
This is awesome Chad!
January 20, 2014
This is fantastic Chad. U’re giving someone a second chance at life. Hats off to u my friend. This is as human as anyone can be 🙂
I’m gonna search for similar organisations in India, a rare chance nonetheless. I hope everything works out for the kid. All the very best 🙂
January 20, 2014
That’s really really amazing Chad, and inspiring.
January 20, 2014
Thanks for the kind words, Buddhini Samarasinghe Nikki C and Ahmed Faraaz Patel
January 20, 2014
I’d encourage everyone who thinks that this is great to consider being great yourself and follow the More info: link at the bottom of the post. You may never get contacted as a match, or you may save a life.
January 20, 2014
True Patrick Horgan, it would be icing on the cake if this post inspires other to sign up or help in any way with Be The Match.
January 20, 2014
Great gesture Chad!
January 20, 2014
Thanks Mahesh Sreekandath. I hope things are well with you.
January 20, 2014
Thanks Chad, i am just fine, hope you are too!
January 20, 2014
Holy heck Chad Haney! This is incredible. You’re incredible. <3
January 20, 2014
Thanks Yoon-Mi Kim. You are pretty special, yourself.
January 20, 2014
Wordless…except, thank you for being you!
January 20, 2014
Thanks Corina Marinescu. Thankfully being me, means being a match for this boy.
January 21, 2014
wow, that’s awesome!!
i will def keep you both in my prayers!
thank you for doing this!! i’m going to see if they have something like this in canada!
January 21, 2014
So excited for you both
January 21, 2014
Thanks Melissa Hall and Tai Mi
January 21, 2014
Excellent.
I had a cousin need a bone marrow transplant when he was 3 years old. Such a hard time for them. So glad that there are people out there to donate in hopes of prolonging a life.
January 21, 2014
Thanks Debbie DeBaeremaeker, your story helps.
January 21, 2014
You are a good man Chad Haney, this is a darn fine thing for you to do and publicize, so that maybe others will sign up, and do it too..
January 21, 2014
That’s great Chad Haney! Good luck to you both! 🙂
January 21, 2014
Thanks Gary Ray R and Di Cleverly. I don’t have any updates but I appreciate everyone’s comments and positive thoughts.
January 23, 2014
I came from Richard Green’s showcase. This is an excellent move. One of my high school friends lost his 4 yr old to leukemia last month. They did a BMT but there were other complications. Good man Chad Haney.
January 23, 2014
Thanks Debashish Samaddar I hope everything works for the transplant and beyond.
February 6, 2014
Oh..how did I miss this!? 🙁 no more words to be added here, that’s very generous and honorable, best of luck to you both <3 Chad Haney
February 6, 2014
Thanks Kawthar A. No news yet.