People have been asking me what the bone marrow donation process is like for the donor in order to get the stem cells for my transplant. Here is a great summary of the procedure.
What it doesn't include is that the donor and recipient have to match 10 factors to make sure they are compatible. This is actually like finding a needle in a haystack. You can still have a transplant if not all markers match, but it can be rejected.
My donor is from Germany. I know he is male. Here's an interesting fact, my DNA moving forward will be HIS DNA! If we had different blood types, my blood type would be his. So, from now on, I am technically male according to my DNA, but my gender and physical body won't change. A cellular sex reassignment.
There are potential issues, even with a perfect match and same blood type. It's called Graft vs Host. It's basically where the new healthy donor cells don't recognize my body and start to attack it. This can cause a ton of issues and potentially, in extreme cases, be fatal. Thankfully, there are several treatments to prevent that, and to treat symptoms, but it can last for years.
For me, and everyone else receiving a transplant, it's worth the risk. For us, it's our only chance to live.
If you would like to help me financially to help pay for this life-saving treatment, please donate to my Go Fund Me campaign at https://gofund.me/8350cda6.
If you are interested in becoming a donor and saving lives, please reach out to Be the Match at bethematch.org.
Great initiative to raise awareness about the importance of blood and marrow donation, and the impact it can have on saving lives. What are some common misconceptions about the donation process that you've encountered, and how do you address them?