After you were informed that you were a donor match, what was the next step?
When I received the call and confirmed that I still wanted to donate, the meetings to continue learning about the process were all virtual meetings with Be The Match until it was time to go in and begin the physical portion of the process.
They paid for my gas, they paid for my time and the appointment was free and super quick. After the physical is done, they draw your labs and make sure everything is [fine]. Then Be The Match sent a nurse to my home and I began a regimen of five injections to boost my white blood cell count. The actual donation process took all of four hours and they continue to check in with me – even to this day.
Why did you become a blood stem cell donor, and what has it meant to you personally?
When it comes to wanting to give your stem cells to help another person and possibly save a life, it’s really more about looking out for the people in your community. You may not personally know the people that you are donating to, but it could eventually be someone that you know or even someone in your home that may need the same type of help.
For me, that was all I needed to know.
To find out how you can join the Be The Match® Registry, visit BeTheMatchATL.org or text HEALTHIQ21 to 61474.
