Several more bone marrow donor recruitment drives for the National Bone Marrow Registry are being planned. A hearty thank you to those friends and family who are expending their effort and time trying to set up drives. Hurrah for friends in Hawaii and San Francisco, family in PA and NY, and Tracy’s med school mentors in NC!
I think everybody in our family would agree with me that hosting a donor recruitment event is surprisingly easy, fun, and truly heartening. We have had marvelous guidance from BE THE MATCH representatives who provided training to us and our volunteers, supplied all the materials needed and worked side by side with us on the days of the drives. The young people, age 18-44, who came by to swab and submit their tissue typing into the data bank did so with cheerful compassion! Is one of them the perfect match, the life saving hero, for our daughter? Would many others be willing to do the same if only they knew the need? Generous, caring people stepping up to help keep our family circle whole!
We may turn up a match for another’s daughter or son or loved one in Tracy’s name. That would be an honor!! In turn, some other family across this country may find a matching donor for our precious daughter at an event they are hosting. That’s how it works, and in fact, that’s how donation itself works. Marrow/stem cell donation is a profound promise to donate whenever called upon. For whomever. A person who commits to be a donor stands ready to give this exquisite gift at anytime to a sister or brother whose need is so grave that their very life depends on that gift. What a privilege!
Let’s keep the ball rolling, grow the registry and match up patients and donors! Let’s match Dr. Tracy Jalbuena with her Filipino American marrow mate!
Be the Match for Dr. Tracy Jalbuena 