I read an article in the newspaper a few weeks ago about a little girl
who woke up one morning to a life turned upside down.
It touched my heart.
I knew there was no way I could ignore it, nor would I.
I marked our calendar and we arrived on the designated date
with our kids in tow, en route to do our Saturday errands and then go out for something to eat.
A typical Saturday turned into a very special and emotional one.
The newspaper didn't post a picture in its article a few weeks back. It just said she was 11 years old, born the same year as my WonderBoy.
When we opened the doors and walked in I was completely
It touched my heart.
I knew there was no way I could ignore it, nor would I.
I marked our calendar and we arrived on the designated date
with our kids in tow, en route to do our Saturday errands and then go out for something to eat.
A typical Saturday turned into a very special and emotional one.
The newspaper didn't post a picture in its article a few weeks back. It just said she was 11 years old, born the same year as my WonderBoy.
When we opened the doors and walked in I was completely
overwhelmed with emotion.
There in front of me was her beautiful smiling face,
beaming on a larger than life poster.
She was just a little girl...with her whole life ahead of her...maybe.
beaming on a larger than life poster.
She was just a little girl...with her whole life ahead of her...maybe.
Johanna has acute lymphoblastic Leukemia.
The paper said her only hope for survival is to find
a matching bone marrow donor.
The paper said her only hope for survival is to find
a matching bone marrow donor.
We walked into an auditorum and there were people everywhere; volunteers, donors, children, elderly. Everyone had a station and all the volunteers were wearing red shirts and had been perfectly prepared at long tables to discuss the process with us and take our information. We moved through the stations effortlessly and everyone was smiling.
I was overwhelmed with emotion. I couldn't hold back the tears.
The gravity of the situation just hit me like a ton of bricks.
Everyone had been doting on our kids and saying
how cute Sweetie and WB were.
They kept saying thank you...thank you...THANK YOU.
They kept saying thank you...thank you...THANK YOU.
WonderBoy asked why they were thanking us.
As JR and I swabbed the inside of our mouths and placed the swabs back
in their boxes for the lab; I wiped my tears and thanked them.
I kept thinking that if this beautiful girl were our child
I would only hope to have such an incredible outpouring from the community.
JR and I placed our information on a registry and will remain
JR and I placed our information on a registry and will remain
there until we are 61 years old.
We are both blood and organ donors but now we are officially bone marrow donors as well.
Although we may not be a match for Johanna, we may be a match for someone else.
Although we may not be a match for Johanna, we may be a match for someone else.
I can't think of a better way to celebrate our own lives than to be able to give the one thing that costs us nothing
...the Gift of Life and Hope to another family.
If you are interested in becoming a bone marrow donor visit DKMS HERE.
If you are interested in becoming a bone marrow donor visit DKMS HERE.
Posts
rss
twitter
pinterest
facebook
Dita this is a beautiful and very touching post...I was crying and crying looking at her sweet little face...We are all organ donors and I will check out the bone marrow site today...thank you {{{}}}
ReplyDeleteWhat an incredible gift to give.
ReplyDeleteVery touching. Your inner (and outer!) beauty is immeasurable.
ReplyDeleteThat story Wow! Bless her heart.
ReplyDeleteYour hearts just he way they should be
and to show WB and Sweetie the way to walk
in giving....perfect.
Teach up a child the way they should walk
and when they grow old they will walk in it.
Love your heart Christina! Thank you also for the marrow donor link.
Oh Dita, Thank you for sharing this! We are on the donor lists too as our friends lost their baby girl to a disease she may have survived had a bone marrow match been made in time.
ReplyDeletehugs :)
I had never thought of this. What a wonderful thing to do.
ReplyDeleteYou are simply amazing my friend!! Your heart is bigger than no other:) I am so happy that you shared this special story with us....... We too are organ donors, but have not done this. We will be checking it out. You are one inspiring lady.
ReplyDeleteI pray that somewhere this sweet girl finds a match!!
Smooches:)
L~
Thank you my friend. When I was an RN, I worked for a short time on a pediatric oncology floor, I saw first hand what your gift can mean. life.
ReplyDeletexoxo
My dear friend, I continue to be blown away by your beautiful heart!
ReplyDeleteYou just touch me so deeply everytime. Thank you for sharing this.
Hugs,
W
Surely, grace was given to you twice.
ReplyDeleteYour ability to touch others is awesome to witness and I'm so proud to know you.
Love V
What an amazing thing to do! I hope they find a match for little Johanna! It's because of people like you and JR that so many lives are saved :)
ReplyDeleteA gift of life comes on so many different ways. My father passed away from Leukemia when I was 3. He never got a chance. Thank you for giving someone a chance someday.
ReplyDeleteAlso thanks for stopping by and your wonderful comment put a smile on my face.