During my freshman year of college I met a friend who had undergone a bone marrow transplant not too long before our year started. During one conversation she encouraged a bunch of us to join the donor registry if we had the chance, and this weekend I got my official membership card.
A few months ago my husband noticed that the National Donor Registry was doing free screenings and I signed up. I received my testing kit in the mail, swabbed the inside of my cheeks a few times, and sent them back in. Swabbing my cheeks was a little like what you see on CSI – giant Qtips in individual wrapers that fit into little slots in the mail back card when I was done.
I mailed them back awhile ago, and yesterday finally received the confirmation that I have been added to the national registry and will be checked as a match for needing patients. I could go the next 30 years and never match any one at all, but the posibility that I could, and that my cells could give someone another chance, is huge to me.
So now I have a little ID card to carry with me, and the responsibility of keeping my personal information updated with the registry. After that it’s all up to fate I guess. 
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