bone marrow - who needs it? (and who can spare a vial or two?)

  my dad's transplant was May 28, 2008.  his donor was a 48-year-old Christian female... that's all we know.  we only know the Christian part because she sent him a letter, and a gift, along with the stem cells the doctors harvested from her body.  the gift was a hand-carved cross, created to fit in the palm of your hand, to be clutched in times of great fear or need. her letter said that she held that cross while she was donating and she sent it to my dad so that he could hold it while the doctors were infusing the cells into him.  pretty powerful stuff, if you let yourself think about it.      maybe it only took her a couple of hours, a small amount of discomfort, but what she did saved my dad's life.  whether we have him for one more year or ten more, because of this woman whose name i don't even know, right now, we still have him. 

  

when i was in college, i had this friend, one of those friends you know will be 

a friend for life, even if you don't always talk on a daily, weekly, or even monthly basis.  last summer, he came in town for a quick visit and brought his charming girlfriend, Jean, whom i met only briefly.  a couple of days ago, she posted on her blog that she had been on the bone marrow donor registry for a couple of years and had been suddenly been contacted.  there's an urgent need for a 16-year-old girl and Jean's an HLA match.  now, she gets to save this girl's life.  what an incredible, unselfish, amazing gift to be able to give.  

  it got me to thinking about the fact that so many people are probably

 unaware of this great need.  the chances of ever being matched are phenomenally minuscule, but for someone, you could save a dad... a mom... a daughter or son... a brother or sister... a life.  

  so, if you're interested, the National Marrow Donor Program is actually holding a couple of drives in the Middle TN area this week/weekend.  you go in, fill out a little bit of paperwork, they swab your cheek and you're done.  you may never hear a thing, but you may be given the opportunity to give the greatest gift someone's ever received.  

  Thursday, 5 February 2009   7 - 11pm

Cannery Ballroom

1 Cannery Row

Nashville, TN 37203

  Saturday, 7 February 2009  11 am - 4pm

New Hope Cumberland Presbyterian Church

7845 Coles Ferry Pike

Lebanon, TN 37087

  be sure to take a photo ID (driver's license, passport, etc) and a carload of friends.  let's overload the registry with potential donors so that everyone in need can find a match!