That is a big question that has been on my mind for a while now. The youtube plea for a kidney donor to the dying father of a five year old featured on ABC news earlier this week really touched me. While I am hesitant about donating organs, I have been thinking about becoming a stem cell donor. Whilst kidney donors can be deceased or alive, stem cell donors have to be alive, and currently there is only 30% chance of a match in your family. The chance of finding a donor is slim, and the chance of surviving is close to zero without a donor. There are almost no donors between the age of 18 and 30, so finding healthy donators is an urgent matter. And with modern day lifestyle of the young such as smoking, heavy drinking, use of drugs and multiple sex partners, there are even less people who can donate- if they wanted to.
Would you mind saving a life? -image by Alfonso Romero
I just realized a few days ago that I am in perfect health. There is not one thing wrong with me. Can you imagine? Me! How many people can say they are in perfect health? I am really one of the lucky few who can save the life of one of the many unfortunate. Wouldn’t it be selfish if I didn’t?
The way I see it health is a blessing. Me swimming in the ocean
Tomorrow I am going to sign up as a (world wide) stem cell donor, which means that if a match is found I will donate parts of my bone marrow. I will probably write more about this to let you know how the process goes, in case you are lucky enough (as me) to be able to safe somebody’s life. If you don’t mind…
