'ok, you can leave when you're ready' 5/4/12

It is honestly just my luck that I'd get a call like that around Easter, but I did. It was the day before good Friday and I had an early finish from work, my boss left and just told me to lock up when I was ready to go. I sat down to finish the last of my cup of tea and relax for the last 10 minutes before a lovely couple of days off, and my mobile rang - to be honest I dont know quite how I noticed it because my phone is always on silent when I'm in work.


The call came from a lovely girl from the London office at Anthony Nolan (for the life of me i cannot remember her name - it will come back to me). She explained to me that I had been selected as a potential match for the register, and asked me if i was still prepared to be a potential donor. Of course I said yes - i mean i hadn't gone into this without any thought - and so she explained that I would have to provide a blood sample for further testing.


She then explained the methods of donating, in case I had forgotten which options were open to me. She assured me that I could change my mind at any time and gave me the opportunity to ask any questions which I may have (although to be honest I was pretty much in shock so I didn't talk all that much!), but pointed out that should i want to change my mind i should let them know as soon as possible so that a) another match could be found and b) so that the patient did not start on the pre-transplant course of medication, because that would completely shut down their immune system and without a transplant they would quickly die.


I dont know how much you know about stem cell/bone marrow donation (I imagine if you're reading this you either a) have an interest or b) are interested in perhaps donating) but basically, there are 2 types. PBSC, which has been described to me by my consultant (and quote) as being 'hooked up to a glorified tumble drier', or the more well knows bone marrow harvest from your pelvis.


if you want to know more about the donation process, this Anthony Nolan video tells you pretty much what I was told, you'll be at the same level that I was after this phone call.






Also it just occurred to me that people reading this might have no idea why I'd be doing this or what leukaemia or lymphoma are, so, not to put too fine a point on it, it's basically blood or bone cancer. It affects your stem cells, which are the cells that control your white blood cells and your immune system. As you've probably gathered, your stem cells are found in your bone marrow and can be known as B-Cells (for obvious reasons). They produce white blood cells, and basically if your immune system fails, something as small as a cold could potentially kill you, because your body can't fight it off.


At the end of the conversation I was told that a blood sample kit would be sent top me in the post, and I just had to take it to my GP, get the blood taken, and send it back in the provided jiffy bag the same day. easy peasy!


To be honest I was so emotional after I got that phone call. I sat in the office for about an hour and cried. I rang my boyfriend and cried. I rang my mum and cried. I'm not convinced either of them really knew why I was so upset, to be honest neither did I, I wan't upset, I think I was just overwhelmed that i'd been given this opportunity to potentially save someone's life.


Anyway all I could do then was go home, put the kettle on and sit and wait. So, that's exactly what I did :)


R xo