Today you woke up as usual ready to greet another day. For most or you today will not be one you will ever recall.
For us we will never forget it.
As I sit here an amazing journey is beginning.
Somewhere many miles away in the United States,
a young woman is leaving her home somewhere the United States. She will say good bye to family and friends who will I’m sure be wishing her luck as she makes her way to the hospital.
What is wrong with her?
Thankfully nothing at all. She is in the prime of her life. In the best of health. She is a young student who has been found to be a match for an Irish boy’s bone marrow and today is the day she will donate it.
Back home here in Ireland there is a young boy, Daniel, just thirteen years of age. He too left home for hospital five months ago. His parents said good bye to family and friends and all have wished them “Good Luck”.
This young boy has leukemia.
His body has been recently irradiated and assaulted for eight months by Chemotherapy.
He is ready. He is waiting.
During today all of us who know this family will live as we always do. All our daily chores and tasks will be completed as usual.
But below the surface we are shaking, terrified, nervous, cautious, and a little bit excited.
We check the calendar regularly, just to confirm the date. July 18th. A date we marked quite some time ago. It is quite incredible to believe it is here at last. As we try to act normal, there is within us a voice, which shouts every now and then, too loud for us to ignore.
“It’s happening!”.
As the hours tick by, at times we will each of us stop what we are doing.
During those moments we will make our way to the U.S.
to spend some time by the side of this most incredible young woman. We will hope she is okay. We will wish we could see her,support her, meet her. We will wonder why someone so young chose to do such a thing? But we all acknowledge that none of us could ever find the words to thank her or let her know exactly what she has done.
I wonder as she goes home later tonight what thoughts will she have? Has she been told that the cheekiest, young, blonde, sports mad Irish boy is to receive her gift of life? Can she imagine what he has gone through and the nightmare she is helping to end?
As this ordinary day for most of you draws to a close and darkness falls you will hopefully sleep peacefully. But over here sleep will not come easy and when it does we will toss and turn, as we do our best to silence that voice which shouts,
“It’s on it’s way”.
And as the bright new day that is tomorrow begins,
we will wake up, check the date and smile. This is the day for the past five months which we held our breaths for.
Today is the day,July 19th, when one journey ends and another begins.
Today is THE day.
Be the match. Us donor site.
bone marrow donation UK.
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photo credit: Menage a Moi via photopin cc
My thoughts on a page. 
I crossed my fingers at the end of this post. Thank God for giving people.
Yes she is wonderful! We have every part of us crossed. It will be a long journey but at least they will be on the other side.
The gift of life from a complete stranger proves to me that we are all knitted together in this life in ways we can’t begin to imagine. I am moved by your words and journey.
Thank you. We all know he is so very lucky to find a match. So many others have not. What is incredible is this girl is very young. We wonder why she decided to be a donor? We thank goodness she did. In terms of genetics this girl is a closer match than these boys brother and sisters. I find that amazing.
I have been teary-eyed following this story of yours. Please keep us posted on how your friend’s child is doing. Best wishes.
Thank you. It will be at least three weeks before we know how things are going. I might not actually say much here on the blog but feel free to email me if you wish. Then hopefully in time I will be announcing a major hoolie!
OK.
What a “hoolie”? Not a Canadian term, I’m afraid.
A big party! The opposite of a sedate organized party!
Aha! The best kind of party.
See? This little boy deserves all the hope and love as is felt from your post.
Thank you.
The only explanation that makes sense to me is that a bit of family research would reveal this boy and girl share a common ancestor – they are ‘family’, though perhaps many steps removed
P.S. I expect the anonymity of the donor is protected in these cases but might it not be possible – through the hospital, and the american embassy in Dublin – for a card, signed by the boy, his family, friends, and neighbours, to be passed to the girl thanking her for the gift of life she has given? She may also appreciate a photograph or two of the young lad showing how well he is doing thanks to her wonderful gesture /
I suspect an Irish gene there somewhere. I have read of others in America who have made contact with the family by being sent a card and an update. I would think that in time that may happen. For now though we are relieved this day has come and he has been given this chance. However no one is thinking too far ahead yet (although we all are full of hope.).
In the future she may well see him as he aspires to future sporting greatness.:)
This reminds me that I have a donor packet sitting in my cabinet that I need to complete!!! Hope all goes well, and sending positive thoughts!
Oh my God it would be so brilliant if you did that. In the ward with this boy is another who has not found a donor anywhere in the world. Thank you for your kind words.
I have had it for a few months, and didn’t complete it. . .how stupid of me, huh? I could only hope that I could help a child somewhere like that! How amazing would that be??
I told my gang that if that girl was my eldest I would not care what she achieved for the rest of her life. It blows my mind to think about it all. We know there are still risks and it may not work but it should work and this girl has made that possible. It must be an amazing feeling. Go you, who knows someone somewhere someday may be your match. ( in more ways than one! ha ha.)
🙂
I have all my fingers and toes crossed for him. I know that they will not want the young lad’s family/friends to be in contact with the young lady until everyone is certain that there is a happy outcome…how heart-broken everyone would be, including the young girl, if all did not work out as hope-for (forgive me for that dark note…I speak from experience). All my fingers/all my toes are crossed, and lots of prayers and positive thoughts are being sent via the internet.
Thank you. Believe me when I say no one is counting their chickens before they are hatched!
Across the oceans, my thoughts are with both families as this miracle takes place.
Thank you. All positive thoughts appreciated!
I am holding my breath and see the beauty of humanity in this )
Yes it is a modern day miracle. Fingers crossed.
How is he doing now? I hope everything went smoothly.
He had a very uneventful transplant. We were all sent a superb photo of a very happy boy as the transfusion was happening. It is my new screen saver. How inspired I will be every time I turn on my computer!
There are months of worry and ups and downs ahead, but at least he has been given this wonderful opportunity and hopefully this time next year he will be back to full health.
Thank you for your concern.
Good to hear that he is doing well 🙂
There is as much humanity in your concern for this lad as there is in the bone marrow donation. I hope everything went well!
Everything went very smoothly thank you. It was a day of very mixed emotions but he himself was happy. A long road ahead for them all still but a huge hurdle has been jumped.
Beautiful post. Beautiful gift. Beautiful life. Cheers to this young boy’s health and may he continue to grow where he is transplanted. 😉
Thanks Megan. I am delighted to have found your blog today, as it has cheered me up no end! This boys aunt is very like you. She is the extra allowed in whilst he is in hospital and was there beside him during the transplant.