One of Sigma Gamma Rho's several national service projects is the National Bone Marrow Donor Program. Established in 1992, this initiative was developed to address and reduce the number of African American deaths due to a lack of sufficient numbers of race appropriate bone marrow donors. Chapters throughout the country have hosted Bone Marrow Donor Drives in effort to raise money, awareness, and the number of registrants in national registries like the
DKMS Americas Bone Marrow registry . One such event in New Haven, CT yielded miraculous results.
Here's the story in Soror Owen's own words...
NERS: Where did you donate? Was it a chapter event?
The closest participating donation center is in New York City, at Ney York Presbyterian Hospital. That is where the donation occurred, on August 10, 2010.
Last May, the chapters of Iota Chi Sigma, Sigma Beta, and Sigma Gamma participated in the NAACP Health Fair at the New Haven Field House, in Connecticut. Our goal of the day was to spread awareness of the National Marrow Donor Program, and encourage people to join the registry. As a national program of our sorority, and knowing the critical need for minority donors, I felt obligated and honored to join the registry. Interestingly enough, only a year later I was called as a possible match for a patient in need of a transplant.
NERS: How did they notify you that you were a match?
I received a call in early May of this year from a NMDP (National Marrow Donor Program) representative who explained to me that I was a possible match for a man who was suffering from non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The only details that I received about the patient were his gender and the disease he had. The representative explained the details of the type of donation the patient’s doctor was requesting and that there was also 6 other possible donors. After a lengthy conversation on the donation process and what would be required of me, I was asked if I’d like to continue on with further testing. After I had agreed, I was told that the cheek sample that was sent in when I joined the registry would be used for further testing in locating a more secure match for the patient. After about 4 weeks, I was notified in June that I was a complete match for the patient, and the process for donation began.
NERS: In detail. How did you feel after you were notified?
The first thing I did after I received the news of my donation is to call my mother. She was so happy that I was going to participate in one of the most selfless acts she’s witnessed. Originally, I hadn’t thought of the impact that my possible donation would have on others until I began to receive calls from my family members and friends, telling me just how much this meant to them. At that time, I was both anxious and excited because I realized just how important my participation would be for the patient and his health.
NERS: Tell me about the process of donating.
The first part of the donation begins with much testing of the cheek sample that was sent in when I joined the registry. After I was notified that I was an exact match for the patient, I had to send in blood samples, in which I went to a nearby laboratory where they drew the tubes of blood. A few weeks before the donation, I needed a full physical with blood work, x-rays, and an electrocardiogram (ECG), to ensure that I was healthy enough to donate. Once the results proved that I was healthy enough to proceed, the actual process of the donation began.
There are two types of marrow donation that many people are unaware of. The most common form of donation is the Peripheral Blood Stem Cell (PBSC) donation, which is done 75% of the time. The other, more invasive is the Marrow donation, which is only done 25% of the time, and requires surgery. This surgery occurs in the hip bone, where majority of the marrow is formed. It is up to the patient’s doctor which procedure would be done, depending on the needs of the patient. The same cells that are taken from the marrow donation can also be retrieved through the blood stream with a PBSC donation. The patient I donated for required the PBSC donation. This form of donation requires the donor to have a needle placed in each of your arms (I had two needles in one arm). Blood is removed from one needle, sent through a machine that separates the platelets, blood stem cells, white blood cells, plasma, and red blood cells. The machine spins the blood, separating the parts into layers, and the plasma and red blood cells are returned to the donor through the other arm after being warmed. This procedure lasts anywhere from five to eight hours, and can take up to two days.
For four days before the donation, I was required to receive a shot of Filgrastim. This medicine is used to make the bones in the body produce a higher number of blood stem cells and force them into the blood stream. For the first day, I had to travel to Yale New Haven Hospital to receive the first dose to ensure that I wouldn’t have an allergic reaction to the medicine. For the next three days, a registered nurse came to my home to administer the dosage. As a result of the medicine, I felt fatigue and mild muscle and bone pain, due to the cells reproducing at a much faster rate. The day before the donation, I was able to stay in a hotel very close to NY Presbyterian because the donation began at 8 am the next morning.
On the day of the donation, I received another dose of the Filgrastim. After allowing the medicine to travel throughout my body, the donation began. As with any PBSC donation, I received needles in both arms, initially, but because my right arm was having trouble producing blood, I had both needles in one arm. My blood pressure was monitored frequently, and I was treated extremely well. The nurse let me know that I could have any meal I wanted, and each station had a personal television. My parents joined me, so they were excited to see the entire donation. My donation took about six hours.
It took about a week to fully recover from the Filgrastim in my system. I received calls from the NMDP representative as well as the nurse from NY Presbyterian. I felt a bit fatigued, had muscle and bone pain, and a bit of a headache. But other than those very minimal side effects, I felt great!
The National Marrow Donor Program made sure that the expenses (meals during travel, gas, parking) acquired during the entire process would be reimbursed. The hotel stay, as well as any doctor’s visits and hospital time was paid for through the program and the patient.
NERS: Did you get to meet your match or have any contact with them?
Unfortunately, as a donor, you do not get to meet your match. The most you are told is the disease in which they are suffering and their gender. The patient received my donation within 48 hours and I had absolutely no clue where he was. The nurse even mentioned that he could be in the very hospital I was in but neither her or myself knew. Interestingly enough, a year after the donation, upon the patient’s request, we are able to communicate. I was able to express to the NMDP representative that I would love to correspond with him if he chose.
NERS: How does it feel to be a hero?
I don’t necessarily believe in myself as a hero, but a person contributing and adding to the life of someone else. I understand that to many, I could be considered a hero, but what I did was my way of paying it forward. I can only hope that if I was in the same situation as the person I donated to, someone will come to my aid.
I never questioned whether or not I would donate, if it would hurt, or anything of the sort. Every time I was asked, by the representative, if I would continue, I thought of the patient and his family. The procedure and side effects that I’ve endured was nothing compared to the pain, worry, and concern of the patient and his family.
NERS: What would you say to encourage others to become registered donors?
The only thing I could say to encourage others would be to imagine yourself, a family member, or someone close to you going through the process of having to find a donor. There are no guarantees, and any hope is better than no hope at all. Unfortunately, there aren’t many minority donors on the registry. This shortage means that there are thousands of patients desperately waiting for a donor match. With just a quick swab of your cheek, you can potentially save someone’s life. I can only believe that if I was so willing to do this for someone else, someone would be more than willing to do the same for me, or my family.
Dear Soror Shanice Owens,
On behalf of the Northeast Region I commend you for being an outstanding human being and Soror! You are a beacon of light and we are all very proud of you. Well done!
Soror Akintobi
Northeast Region Epistoleus
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