Kari McCaw is extremely passionate about Be The Match’s mission to save lives through cellular therapy.
As the donor experience manager for Be The Match, she is responsible for improving the donor experience for blood stem cell donors. She has a strong focus on understanding and meeting the specific needs of ethnically diverse donors. She knows that more Black people will join Be The Match and say yes to donation once they understand how important stem cell donation is for Black patients and how easy the blood stem cell donation process is.
McCaw spoke with rolling out about this life-saving therapy and its impact on Black lives.
Please describe how you made a decision to work in the health field?
I wanted to wake up every morning and know that I was not only going to earn a paycheck but make a tangible difference in someone’s life with my work.
Finish the sentences…
I am committed to providing … a transparent and world-class donor experience for any person who chooses to be a selfless hero on behalf of a patient in need of a blood stem cell or marrow transplant.
I work to make a difference by … using my voice. I work to be intentional and call attention to the needs of Black patients and the stem cell donors that support those patients.
A great day for me at work results in … lives saved, which is every day. The best days are when I can attend or witness a patient meeting their life-saving donor for the first time. Without the donor, the patient may have died. It’s a powerful moment to see them meet their genetic match, their lifesaver.
Who are two of your favorite authors and why?
Gwendolyn Brooks and Zora Neale Hurston. They were unapologetic in their responsibility to their artistic gifts and to the reality of their … truths.
Who are your favorite human beings and why?
Stem cell donors and those who support them, because they are selfless, brave and magical.
To find out how you can join the Be The Match Registry, please visit BeTheMatchATL.org or text HEALTHIQ21 to 61474.
