My sister non-chalantly on her birthday said that her former math teacher & soccer coach's son was dying. After years of trying to have a baby, they found out early on he had lukemia. He was doing great, but now needs a bone marrow transplant - turns out they don't have a match.
She told us she expected (not wanted, but expected) us to go to a drive at the high school on July 26th. Of course we were going to go no matter what, if there's a possibility that we can save someone's life, sign us up.
I've heard a lot about bone marrow donations and how short they are on volunteers - especially people that are not caucasian. I can't tell you how many times my heart breaks when I read articles about children, young adults, young parents, grandparents that die because there is not enough people on the registration. This was the first time I seriously looked into it though. As I read about what you have to do - I also noticed that all volunteers must pay $55 to get put on the list. I wonder how many times someone has thought they'd sign up and then seen the price and turned their backs and walked away. I wish there was a way to make it free, I wonder how many more people would sign up to save a life - just offer their name to a registration list, offer the chance for someone to live.
A couple weeks ago my brother, mom and I went to the blood center to give a donation. On the board it read, "We are in desperate need of 0+ blood, please consider making a donation of double red if you're this type." I promptly got up and talked to a phlebomist, who looked at me sideways. "I don't think you can give double red." I thought to myself, "She thinks I'm dirty - perhaps she doesn't know I haven't gotten laid in 2 years." But that wasn't the case at all - it turns out you need to be 5'5 and I'm only 5'3. I sulked back to my chair.
A guy walked in, right up to the desk. He was in fine shape, tan and wearing a "Greatest Dad" t-shirt. Turns out the center called him that morning, he was a perfect match for someone. I thought to myself that I wanted to be him one day. Maybe this will be my chance - maybe I'll be a match for the little boy or maybe I'll be a match for someone. I think when you're all alone like me you sometimes wonder your purpose. Maybe this will be mine.
So here's the preach-y part. If you're in Milwaukee Wisconsin, please donate in this drive (http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/BeAHeroForJacob/) and if you're not see if you can cough up $55 some how to save a life with the national registery (http://www.marrow.org).
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