Interesting bit of news I received.
17 years ago...September 1997...I registered at a Bone Marrow Drive on the local military base. I was a young airman in the Air Force, 21 years old in fact.
I had mostly forgotten about ever registering. We had a slight run in with the bone marrow program about 10 years ago when our neighbor was diagnosed with leukemia and went on to receive a bone marrow transplant. She is now my daughters god mother, and I have witnessed first hand how important the bone marrow donation program is. Without her special donor, she would most likely not be here today to know my daughter, or to meet her grandson.
Anyway, its been years since I last thought about the registry. And then yesterday I received a letter via FedEx from the C.W. Bill Young Department of Defense Marrow Donor Program. The letter informed me that I am a possible match for a patient in need of bone marrow.
Quite a few emotions and thoughts go through your mind when you receive that letter!
But of course I was willing to donate. I can't imagine not doing it.
So first thing the next morning, I called my donation coordinator listed in the letter. I answered a ton of health related questions and then got scheduled for some blood work. They need to do further tests to confirm that I am a close enough match for the patient in need. My coordinator set me up for an appointment in a few weeks at a local lab for the testing.
I will update more as I go on this journey!
