They told me it would be life changing - It's true.

[Charles "Jeff" Henry]

At the request of Manasvi, and so I could remember the process what follows in my experience from donating stem cells:

In July I received a phone call from the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP). I was confused as to how I was on the list and quite frankly what it involved. I quickly researched the whole process and assured my donor center representative that I would at least begin filling out the paper work and fax it to her by the next day.

I had signed up to be a donor at the Carolina/Clemson Blood Drive, hosted at the University of South Carolina, as a freshman during November of 2006. New to the college life and donating blood for the first time - sure why not be a bone marrow donor. It was not the smartest thing I've done, since I really had no idea what I was signing up for and the process involved. I do however remember these words "It very unlikely you'll ever get a call."

Back to July of 2010 - I submitted the paperwork, did my research for the stem cell donation process, and bone marrow donation process. Within 24 hours I considered myself educated on the topic. The paperwork was good and I was off to get the first round of blood work at a local LabCorp. Seven tubes of blood later it was not so bad (and I hate needles). It would be approximately 2-3 weeks until I would be notified if I was going to be a successful match for a 22 year old male with leukemia. I was/am 22 years old, full of life, dreams, and looking forward to everything left in my life so it was really something that with each passing day I looked forward to more and more. The phone never rang, but I got a letter that stated I was not a successful match - thanks for my time. It was upsetting and I often think about that 22 year old. Has he lived? Is he in school? Did he get to graduate college and go law school (my point being - was he able to be the 22 year old enjoying life much like I was?).

In October of 2010 I got another call from NMDP. The first call was from some lady in VA. I told her I would agree to go forward again with the process and she set up my initial blood work and told me I would be contacted after it was processed to see if I was a match or not. Calesta, my donor representative, contacted me via phone about 2.5 weeks later and informed me I was a match. I remember asking "A match like I'm good to donate" or "a match like we need to test you again to see if you'll be a match." I was on the way home for Thanksgiving and I was just barely out of the Charlotte area. Calesta and I talked for about an hour and then she told me the paperwork was going to be overnighted to me and we could talk after Thanksgiving. Come to find out NMDP for the Southeastern US is located just a few miles north of where I live off of I-77 in Charlotte. Calesta and I had a meeting after Thanksgiving that was going to take 1.5 hours, however, that later turned into over 3 hours. I had so many questions. Prior to that meeting I met with Monica Oberthaler who worked at my law school.  I had been informed of a tentative timeline for donation. The first date was January 10, 2010. Before all the snow and ice in Charlotte that was to be the first day of the new semester. I spoke with the Dean of Students at my school and in the process she told me about Monica Oberthaler and that she believed she may have more knowledge that would be helpful to me. I knocked on her office door and there was no answer for about 20 seconds, it disappointed me as I thought I was going to be able to gather more information on the donation process before my meeting with NMDP about 2 hours later. Ms. Monica answered the door, I explained why I had come to see her and she just smiled. I went on to explain my concerns, etc. She told me she had just hung up the phone with Manasvi's mom, Anjali. She told me all about Manasvi and her Make-A-Wish request. She called Anjali back and put me on the phone with her. I left to go to NMDP to meet with Calesta, but I had a copy of the DVD documentary Manasvi filmed. I called my mom immediately and told her that what were the chances of meeting a woman who knew about the process, knew a young lady who had donated to herself, had a copy of a DVD of why people should be bone marrow donors, spoke with that young ladies mother on the phone, and if that wasn't enough to compel me to donate - there would be nothing else. I walked into school that day uneasy about the meeting and left sure of my decisions, Calesta didn't need to explain the process - I knew I was going to donate.

The recipient was a 60 year old male with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. I never really associated donating with a 60 year old. I suppose the 22 year old was still in my mind. After filling out the paper work, I went back to LabCorp to have more blood taken there were a few more tests that were necessary at this point.

I was scheduled an appointment at Wake Forest University in Winston Salem, NC so that I could have a full physical. I was able to meet with a doctor there who is in charge of their donation facility. My physical was fine; she told me I was the perfect donor - A young, healthy, large veined male.

The donation date was changed to accommodate my school schedule. I was now scheduled to donate on January 3, 2010. Unfortunately, Wake Forest University and The Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) were booked full. Calesta found a location in Annandale, VA at the Apheresis Associates that was willing to take my donation (come to find out later, I was the only patient that day to donate - otherwise they would have been closed).

Calesta handled everything for me. The plane tickets, hotel, taxi, etc. My girlfriend, Catherine, was able to go with me. As much as I wanted to donate - I did not want to go alone. Catherine had that day off work in observation of the New Year.

The four days leading up to the donation in addition to the day of I received 2 shots, a total of 1200 mcg of Filgastrim/Neupogen. The drug was going to force more stem cells into my blood stream so that it would essentially be saturated for the donation/collection. Days 1, 2, and 3 were okay. Days 4, 5, and 6 were painful at times. Advil was my best friend and Extra Strength Tylenol was his best friend.

On the day of the donation they hooked me up to machine (I've posted a picture of the machine). The blood was flowing from a tube placed inside my left elbow area into the machine (again there is a picture of this too). It would be separated and spun to collect the stem cells, some platelets, some blood, and then what was left would be warmed and returned through a tube in the top of my right hand. They told me they needed to collect 400,000,000 stem cells. Five hours later (after one full movie, some TV, lunch, and talking with the nurses) they tested it and told me they had collected over 1 billion. We were through.

Five hours after that we were on a plane home.

They told me it would be life changing. It’s true. I can still see the mark on the top of my right hand as it heals and only a week has passed, but it has been on my mind. I don’t know his name, where he lives, or his current situation – but I hope in a year he will want to meet me just as badly as I hope to meet him. To me he is just a 60 year old man (he is a son, possibly a father, sibling, husband, and friend) with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma who I hope pray has a second chance.

My story aligned perfectly. Monica, the documentary, my conversation with Anjali, NMDP in Charlotte, Catherine having the day off work, and a snow storm on the original day of donation that subsequently was changed to a week earlier.

--

If you’re not on the list as a donor – please, please, please get on the list. It’s just a cotton swab to the mouth. You may not ever get a call, but then again you might be as lucky as I consider myself and the phone will ring. The process leading up to the donation was easy, the donation was painless (outside of the shots which Advil cured), and hopefully now that 60-year old male with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma has the chance to go forward with his life. People tell me how thankful he probably is, but I’m just as thankful because I won’t take a single day for granted - because of him.

 

[Manasvi Koul]

Hi Lisa,

Monica told my mom this morning that you are her sister. Welcome to LIVEbeyond.

Thank you so much for your kidn words. Monica is very center at this success story.

Great to have you here.

Manasvi

[Lisa Russell]

 

My sister Monica sent me your story. What an awesome thing you did!

[Manasvi Koul]

What an amazing experience! THANK YOU Charles for sharing this with all of us on the network. I am hoping when we relate our stories to people, I am positive we will get a lot of people who would like to register. I am so glad t have you on the LIVEbeyond team!!

 

See you soon.

 

Manasvi