Swabbing
Written by joythebaker on October 13, 2009 – 7:57 pm -
What’s going on in my world?
Oooh the usual… just swabbing my cheeks, barcoding the samples, labeling them a biohazard, shoving them in an envelope and leaving them for the postman. That’s normal… I do this nearly everyday.
I’m swabbing because I just put myself on the Be The Match list with the National Marrow Donation Program. The National Marrow Donation Program houses a giant list and genetic samples of possible donors… a list about 12 million people long. Dang! Doctors look for genetic matches for patients that suffer from life threatening illnesses like leukemia and lymphoma. Sometimes doctors and patients find a genetic match among the millions on the list… sometimes they don’t.
If I’m a match, some doctors will come to knock me out and take bone marrow from my lower back. Someone gets my good bone marrow and I grow my own bone marrow back. Success! I decided to become a part of the National Marrow Donation Program because I feel blessed enough to be strong and healthy, and would be more than happy to share that health with someone else.
It’s a bit commitment … one that I considered for months before signing up. See, there’s needles… and many hours of prep and testing before the actual donation begins. And… needles.
I’m not telling you about the National Marrow Donation Program because I want you to rush out and sign up. It was the right choice for me… but it might not be for everyone. But… if you think marrow donation might be right up your alley, well then heck! Get on it! I just wanted to share. Now you know what I’m up to when I’m not in the kitchen making cookie dough, or avoiding dishes, or snacking, or drinking wine, or being otherwise silly and unproductive.
Now you know.
Tags: Beyond the Kitchen
Posted in Beyond the Kitchen, Thoughts | 67 Comments »
Wow. And I thought donating to the Humane Society and Toys For Tots was nice. I got nothing on you – quite a selfless act, Joy. Good for you!
Joy, just one more reason I admire you so much. What a wonderful thing you’re doing. God bless you.
That’s awesome! Thanks for spreading the love.
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14,000 kids die from hunger and malnutrition EVERY DAY. Friday, October 16 is World Food Day. Find out more: http://www.wfp.org/stories/10-things-you-can-do-world-food-day
I knit Socks For Soldiers,http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SOCKFORSOLDIERS/. But even that is not like giving your bone marrow.
You guys are super sweet! I love hearing about the ways that you give back!
Humane Society, Toys for Tots, World Food Day, Socks for Soldiers! All such great stuff! I like you all. So much.
I signed up for Be The Match back in July. I too felt that I can overcome my fear of surgical procedures to help someone who is very, very sick.
If I ever get the call that I am a match, I believe I will be just as excited as the person getting my bone marrow!
That’s just awesome! I’ve thought about doing that, but hadn’t ever really looked into it. Now, since I’m going to acupuncture and not quite so queasy about needles, I think I might check it out. Joy, you’re awesome. =)
Joy – you are awesome for highlighting such an important cause! My best friend was fortunate enough to be selected as a match and donated healthy cells to someone in need. Her procedure was done through apheresis so there was no lower back drilling involved (even more reason to register)! Rock on, your character shines brightly through your blog.
That is so fantastic that you registered. Recently my friend’s cousin passed away from leukemia, but not before a bone marrow drive in her name registered thousands of people. This is great that you’re getting the word out!
http://projectmichelle.com/
As a mother, I must thank you. Saving lives has such deeper meaning to me since I’ve had a child (and adopted another) …bless them both. Thank you for making life more possible.
Wow… I have to say that I’m very touched by this. When I first read this I though “wow, maybe I can do that…” but I can’t!! I’m still trying to get it in my head that I am now a cancer patient, with lymphoma. I’ve always been super healthy my whole life, and now I’m suddenly not. I had a bone marrow biopsy last week and it was the most painful experience of my life. I just laid on the table thinking “I don’t want to be here doing this!!” I can’t even tell you how touched I am that people like you are willing to do this, because I tell you it’s not fun
. Thank you for being willing to save someone’s life, because that is what you are doing. Bless you!
Good for you! I’ve been registered for almost five years and in addition to donating plasma/platelets/double red cells once a month, I feel like this is simply paying-it-forward. Congratulations on your bravery!
I think it’s incredibly awesome you’re doing this. I gave blood fairly regularly before I started to traveling to places that make me ineligible to donate. I hope this post inspires lots of people to think about ways they can give to others!
Its people like you who save people like me. I would like to thank you for not only donating but bringing it to others attentions. They dont realize how a simple donation of blood or marrow can save more then one life.
Without kind donations like yours I would not be here today.
Joy,
You are amazing. Not that I actually know you or anything, but I wish more people were like you – caring about their fellow man (and woman.) I am deathly afraid of needles (I have to cover my eyes even when I see one on tv!) but your post inspires me to be a better person in other ways.
This is a great thing you’re doing, Joy. I actually have a cousin who just underwent a double lung transplant (can you believe they can actually replace defective lungs with healthy ones?!) and it’s made me think about how important it is for all of us to be organ donors, as well. It doesn’t take the kind of courage that marrow donation takes (after all, you only donate your vital organs after you’re…well…already dead), but it still takes checking that little box on your driver’s license. Anyhow, good for you and I hope you bake something delicious to celebrate your admirable decision
Well done you! We have a similar thing in the UK, I’ve not been a match so far but you never know. My mum is also on the bone marrow register and was called up for further testing, but in the end was enough of a match for it to go ahead. Although she was worrying about the procedure, she was quite upset in the end that she was not able to help.
I’ve not posted before, but I do keep up with your blog regularly – it’s fantastic!
So awesome! I also signed up as a donor a few months ago. No matches yet though… If you can do it, DO.
Wow that is so great of you!
Joy, that is so wonderful. I’m going to spend the rest of the day to figure out if there is a similar thing in India, because it really does sound like the simplest pay-it-forward thing you can do if you’re healthy, which I am *knock on wood*.
I donate blood once a year, which I think is not often enough, but I just get too lazy and don’t go to the Blood Bank and simply wait for my college to have our blood donation. You’ve inspired me now, I’m going to make a resolution to donate blood every month.
You are an inspiration in every which way!
Almost 5 years ago my dad had a stem cell transplant with his own cells. 3 years later the cancer was back and he had to find a donor. I’m grateful to all the people that have their names on the list, especially the one that matched my dad. I have been on the list since that time because compared to what my dad went through, donating my bone marrow/stem cells is a breeze.
You have made a great decision! I signed up for Be the Match a few months ago myself. About a year and half ago I started volunteering & fundraising for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society through their Team in Training program which trains people to run marathons & half marathons while at the same time raising funds for blood cancer patients. This organization has completely changed my life and has made me realize how fortunate I am to be healthy and able to run. I have met people who are undergoing treatments and those who have also survived this awful cancer. Unfortunately, last month though one of our honored teammates, a beautiful 28 year old mother passed away from her battle with leukemia…it had spread to her bone marrow. Experiencing this made me realize that it is the little things we can do by signing up for Be the Match that can hopefully help save a life in need!
this is so great of you. as a heart transplant recipient, it makes me so happy to see donors spreading the word. <3
My mother is also a heart transplant recipient! How are you doing? Also, thank you Joy so much for posting as I have been meaning to become a member of the registry.
Jana
i’m doing great, thanks! it’s been 7-1/2 years (i was only 17 at the time) and there’ve been plenty of ups and downs.
As a mother of a baby with cancer, I thank you. I hope he never needs bone marrow but it is much more a part of our reality than I ever thought it would be. Thanks for bringing attention to this!
Good for you Joy! Just remember that those needles mean making someone else healthy
I’m just curious…after you donate your bone marrow, how long does it take you to get back on your feet again? I mean, when you give blood, they tell you to rest for the remainder of the day…bone marrow is even more important that blood so are you weak for weeks or what? Thanks for the information! This is definitely something I’ll consider!
good luck…good chance…i gave blood to the national bone marrow program (years back) & went back for a second go round… good possibility that i could have helped someone but, no match…you are remarkable, strong, talented, blessed & your philosophy on life is amazing!
btw: bring your deliciously baked cookie creations…cuz after the bloods are drawn you can have a sweet… sweetie pie!
Joy, you have such a beautiful spirit, thank you!
Joy, I’m pregnant, and thanks to your post, I’m seriously considering donating my cord blood. According to the Be the Match site, the hospital that I will deliver at participates in the program, and there is no cost to me to do it. I’m going to be calling the local cord blood bank after I make sure my husband is ok with this, too! Thank you!
Hi Joy! I love your blog & I was so excited to see you sign up for the NMDP!
@Rina is actually correct – 70-80% of actual bone marrow donation is now done thru aphresis, which is almost as easy as giving blood. Only a smaller percentage still does the outpatient actual marrow extraction.
@Melanie – according to the NMDP, you can be back at work within a few days and full recovered within 10.
If anyone checking this out would like to sign up for the registry, you can have a kit sent to you from DKMS Americas (www.dkmsamericas.org). It’s simple to sign up – a form & a cheek swap. You’re registered for life!
I have been on the NMDP list since college, when a little girl in the area needed donors. It warms my heart to see you doing this and encouraging others to as well!
Thanks for this information! I used to give blood every two months, but I’ve been anemic for a while and unable to donate. This looks like a great program, and I’m going to check it out.
What a great post! I was added to the registry in college. I hope someday I’ll be able to help someone who needs a bone marrow transplant!
i’m so glad that you put yourself on the list…and that you shared about it. hopefully more people will be encouraged (and informed) to do the same. i worked at UCSF cancer center with patients undergoing bone marrow transplants. we need more donors!! especially people with diverse ethnic backgrounds and mixed backgrounds. thank you thank you!!
My Dad gave his bone marrow to his sister who had leukemia. She was only the 300th patient to ever receive a transplant. I am so glad that we have come as far as we have in medical technology, and that so many people like you are willing to donate to strangers…
Good for you Joy. What a wonderful gift you are offering to someone who’ll really need it. You are a true humanitarian.
Hey Joy,
That’s awesome. I recently reconnected with one of my best childhood friends. Her husband is undergoing a risky bone marrow transfusion from his brother as a result of Leukemia. I’ve been thinking about doing becoming a donor. Thank you for doing what you do!
http://helpcraig.org
Thank you so much for spreading the word about the registry (and for joining!!). My Mom was the recipient of a bone marrow transplant in 2005 and although she has since lost her battle with leukemia, that transplant gave her and us SO much hope. All we knew about the donor was that he was a man that did not live in our state, but I feel like I know so much more about him just from what he did… a selfless, caring and loving individual. I wish someday that I could thank him personally for bringing so much hope and joy to us all the day she received the transplant, April 1, 2005. And, I hope that someday I can pass on the same hope to someone else and their family.
Thank you so much for this! I just registered.
Aww Joy, Thanks for registering! Imagine my surprise when I saw your post this morning! I work for the NMDP and we’re trying to increase the number of donors with diverse ethnic backgrounds (since a match is based on genetic tissue typing).
Melanie– for stem cell donation, you should be able to resume your normal activities right away and for marrow, you’ll be sore and achy for several days afterwards. I’d like to mention that the method of donation is not really a choice we give to the donor– it’s based on the condition of the patient and the type of illness that the patient has.
Also sadly– a huge chunk of registered donors decline with further testing when coming up as a match for a patient– so please make sure you do your research, talk to your family, feel pretty certain– before registering, like it seems Joy has.
If anyone has any questions or wants to request a registration kit by mail, please feel free to email me at hkim@Ltsc.org.
Thanks again for your post, Joy!
Hey Julie– thanks for registering in college! And to anyone else who has also registered!
Please remember to update your contact information so we know how to find you when you come up as a match. If you registered with the NMDP, you can update your info here:
https://secure.marrow.org/CONTACT/ADDRESS/update_your_address.aspx
i think that is awesome!!
That’s amazing!
I’ve been thinking about doing this for a few months, but just have never made the plunge! I will definitely look into it again!
Joy,
I can’t begin to tell you what a precious gift your marrow will be to someone. As a person who may someday have to have a bone marrow transplant (I have Aplastic Anemia) I know that if you are ever selected the person recieving your gift of life will be joyous forever and totally in love with you for that gift.
Bless you,
Peggy
What a wonderful thing that you have done. My husband just received an award from the Red Cross for donating 25 gallons of whole blood for the past 30 years of his donation. Now, I need to do my part by donating bone marrow. Thank you so much…
I did this a few months ago and they just finished the testing. I hope I can help someone at some point!
Such an important and brave thing to do. Thanks Joy.
My father passed away from Multiple Myeloma a few years ago. He may have still been here if he had been able to find a match for a stem cell transplant. Actually, after several months of searching, he found one…but they backed out at the last minute. They tried to find a donor match for another year and a half with no success. Eventually he used his own stem cells for the transplant. In any case, with all the time it took looking and waiting for a donor, he was too weak/sick to survive his procedure.
The more donors in this world, the better.
Thank you for spreading the word. And my goodness do I love your blog!
Hi Joy, Kudos to you for doing such a wonderful and brave thing. My dad passed away 10 years ago as a result of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia and he did undergo a donor bone marrow transplant. He ended up passing away from a lung infection that developed as a result of his compromised immune system after the transplant, but the transplant gave him a chance at survival that he otherwise wouldn’t have had. So a great big THANK YOU for giving that same chance to someone else and their family.
Best,
Michelle
that is honestly an amazing idea. i love that you are doing this and will now put it in my “thinking box” as well.
Oh Joy… there is so much to love about you! I’ve had my forms sitting on my desk for months. I think you just inspired me to finally send them in!