"Fun" Fact Thursday: Be the Match

Today's facts aren't so much "fun" as they are necessary and important.

Many of you know, in October 2007, I was a bone marrow donor for a complete stranger. Well, someone who was once a complete stranger.

• The process was not painless
• The recovery was not speedy
• Doctors basically drilled holes into the bones in my lower back and took out over a liter of bone marrow
• It was the best thing I have ever done and I would do it again and again and again
• Today I'm fine, healthy, and I have no lasting side-effects

I just received word today that my recipient, Ashley, has relapsed. She had a growth pressing on her spine and when it was examined and biopsied it was found to be leukemia.

I hate cancer.

Ashley has had two transplants and she has undergone chemo and radiation off and on for over two years.

Please, please, please keep my sweet Ashley in your thoughts. It really isn't fair and I'm very angry today. I feel helpless, so the only way I can act is by educating others.

If you want to do more, here's what you can do:

Go to http://www.marrow.org/index.html

• Read about the different types of donation
• Educate yourself.
• If you're interested in possibly saving someone's life, join the registry. It's easy. Simply click "Join" and answer a few questions, a test kit will be sent to your home where you can do your own cheek swab for registration purposes.

If you don't want to register then donate to the cause, give blood, or pass on the word. Just do something.

Your generosity could save someone, anyone; someone like Ashley.

For more information about my donation, go directly to my blog http://aaron-jessi-ispy.blogspot.com/ (if you're reading this on facebook) and in the right hand margin under "labels" click on "The Harvest." This will link you to all the posts about my donation.