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One day two or three decades ago, as I was donating blood, I was given the opportunity to sign up to be a potential bone marrow donor. I jumped at the chance.
(For years after that, I was under the impression that to register as a possible bone marrow donor, you have to donate blood first. Not so. You can send away for a free kit that you use to collect a few cells from the inside of your cheek.)
So why did I register as a marrow donor? Until I started to think about writing this message, I was under the impression that I had made a rationally altruistic decision that would give me a chance to save a life. But that's not the whole story. I also wanted the drama and glory of being a hero. I wanted to get that email or phone call saying that I could save a life. I wanted to turn off my targeting computer and single-handedly destroy the Death Star. I wanted to run into a burning building and rescue the baby trapped in a crib.
But we rarely have opportunities to be heroes in real life. They say that only 1 in 540 donors is ever called. On the other hand, if 374 new donors sign up, one of them will probably be a match for a patient some day, because (539/540)374 < 1/2.
I still think it made sense for me to sign up. Not so much because of the slim chance that I might be called on to donate, but because if enough people sign up, more lives will be saved. But the other thing I realize now is that I should donate blood more often. That is a less dramatic but surer way to save lives.
My wife A. would have died in surgery last year if she had not received blood transfusions. My thanks go out to the anonymous heroes who saved her life. I recently found out about Leah, a leukemia patient, who will need blood and possibly bone marrow. Her illness is what prompted me to post about this now. Best of luck to Leah for a speedy cure!
If you are in the U.S. and you wish to register as a potential bone marrow donor, see the National Marrow Donor Program for details. If you wish to donate blood, see the American Red Cross.
(For years after that, I was under the impression that to register as a possible bone marrow donor, you have to donate blood first. Not so. You can send away for a free kit that you use to collect a few cells from the inside of your cheek.)
So why did I register as a marrow donor? Until I started to think about writing this message, I was under the impression that I had made a rationally altruistic decision that would give me a chance to save a life. But that's not the whole story. I also wanted the drama and glory of being a hero. I wanted to get that email or phone call saying that I could save a life. I wanted to turn off my targeting computer and single-handedly destroy the Death Star. I wanted to run into a burning building and rescue the baby trapped in a crib.
But we rarely have opportunities to be heroes in real life. They say that only 1 in 540 donors is ever called. On the other hand, if 374 new donors sign up, one of them will probably be a match for a patient some day, because (539/540)374 < 1/2.
I still think it made sense for me to sign up. Not so much because of the slim chance that I might be called on to donate, but because if enough people sign up, more lives will be saved. But the other thing I realize now is that I should donate blood more often. That is a less dramatic but surer way to save lives.
My wife A. would have died in surgery last year if she had not received blood transfusions. My thanks go out to the anonymous heroes who saved her life. I recently found out about Leah, a leukemia patient, who will need blood and possibly bone marrow. Her illness is what prompted me to post about this now. Best of luck to Leah for a speedy cure!
If you are in the U.S. and you wish to register as a potential bone marrow donor, see the National Marrow Donor Program for details. If you wish to donate blood, see the American Red Cross.