If you could take action to save a life, would you do it? My guess, because I believe people are inherently good and kind, would answer, “of course!”
People who choose to join the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) marrow registry through the Be The Match organization have made that choice. Joining the registry (see link https://my.bethematch.org/s/join) is available for people ages 18 to 40 (“Studies show that blood stem cells from younger donors provide better long-term survival rates for our patients”).
We all can make a difference, and Be The Match is an opportunity to join a cause that saves lives. YOU may be called upon to be the difference for someone. I will plead with anyone, who is eligible, to join the registry. Why? My son and our family know firsthand the importance of a bone marrow transplant – potentially a lifesaving transplant for the recipient and a guaranteed life-changing experience for the donor!
November 3, 2004. This is transplant day at Duke University Medical Center for Ryan Tomoff. Ryan, my wife Terri, our daughter Olivia, and I wake up eager for Ryan to receive the gift of bone marrow from an anonymous donor. We have no idea how the process works, but we are praying that Ryan’s donor safely arrives at the hospital and that the countless “players” involved are blessed to execute what they need to do to harvest the marrow, process the collection out of the hospital and receive successfully in Durham, NC, at Duke. We know that countless moving parts are involved, and the need for “perfect execution” is on our minds. Unfortunately, so much is outside of our control.
Around 5:30 or 6:00 PM, the marrow in a cold storage pack landed with a flight to Raleigh-Durham Airport, and a courier was transporting the package to the eagerly waiting medical team at Duke. Once received, the marrow needed to be irradiated before transfusion into Ryan. We were made aware that the marrow had arrived and was being prepared for Ryan. Yes, we were excited that the transplant was about ready to happen – Ryan’s preparation through total-body radiation (TBI) had successfully happened over the previous week. November 3rd was his targeted transplant date, the marrow had arrived, was processed to safely administer to Ryan, and at 7:45 PM, the transfusion started. The transplant was not the end, but we prayed the beginning of a lifesaving moment had arrived, and we were thankful and hopeful for his future. Transplants are not guaranteed to be successful, but the transplant was Ryan’s last shot at beating his leukemia. Ryan and our family were embarking on the start of a new journey.
Today, November 3, 2022, we are celebrating 18 years post-transplant. On November 4, 2005, one year and one day after Ryan’s transplant, we met Scott Harris at a beautiful event in New York. Scott was from Teaneck, New Jersey. None of this information is shared without the donor’s consent, and the earliest time to meet a donor is one year after the transplant. We felt blessed and beyond thrilled that Scott and our family both agreed to meet as soon as possible!
Thanks to this experience – the selfless generosity and kindness of a stranger to help a fellow human in such a tremendous and meaningful way – my “lens on life” is enhanced to look for and believe in the “good” of our fellow humans. My energy is dedicated to seeing and celebrating the moments of generosity that ARE all around us.
A thought I hold close that applies beautifully here is:
“The gift of a lifetime deserves a lifetime of gratitude.” – Rajesh Setty
https://bit.ly/RajeshSetty_ThankYou_Gratitude
Scott Harris did not have to show up and save Ryan’s life. He did so because someone was in need, and he was being called upon to help. Wouldn’t we all love the same opportunity? Will you take the step to become part of that community? Please do.
My wife Terri shared heartfelt thoughts about Ryan’s transplant day on her blog, quoting sections directly from her book The Focused Fight: A Childhood Cancer Journey: From Mayhem to Miracles. Her post is available at:
https://www.territomoff.com/post/can-you-be-the-match
