Think about your birthday wish this year? Did it involve saving someone's life?
A Reynoldsburg man's wish did.
Thirty-five-year-olf Troy McKinely wanted to make sure his birthday wish made a difference in someone else's life.
“I wanted to do something big if possible. I've never donated blood before I don't even like needles,” he said.
Two years ago, he decided he wanted to make his birthday more about gifts, and instead give the gift of life.
“I thought it would be great to save a life so what can I do to help,” he said
He found DKMS, the world's largest bone marrow and blood stem cell donor center.
The company sent him a swab kit and he waited to see if he would be a match. Two and a half years later, he was notified that his stem cells matched a patient who was diagnosed with blood cancer.
“It was kind of like 'wow this is big. I don't know this person. I don't know anything about him or her.' It's kind of amazing feeling that it could be better for somebody else,” he said.
McKinley said it only took a few hours to give the needed stem cells that doctors would later implant to the unknown patient.
“I'm hoping that this gentleman I helped is feeling better for it and helped him in some way. Maybe it didn't give him everything back but he has some more time and we all want more time in the world so hopefully, it helped him,” he said.
Time, we can all use more of it, but how many of us take the time to think about how we can give others more days on this earth.
It was a birthday wish McKinley says he'd do again knowing his kindness gave a stranger something more valuable than anything.
“I think it's amazing to save someone's life. It's an incredible experience,” he said.
About DKMS
- Globally, DKMS is the largest donor center and the leaders in the fight against blood cancer and blood disorders.
- 70% of people suffering from leukemia, lymphoma and other blood cancers must rely on donors outside their families.
- Every 3 minutes, an American is diagnosed with a blood cancer.
- Every day, at least 21 DKMS donors give patients a second chance at life.
- Every 9 minutes, an American is lost to a blood cancer.
- The incredible uniqueness of our DNA means finding a matching donor is extremely rare; finding a match is a numbers game, so it is critical that we register as many donors as possible.
- Registering as a donor is quick and easy – it requires simply swabbing the inside of your cheeks for 60 seconds each.
- If you want to register to be a potential lifesaver, you can request a swab kit online through DKMS at dkms.org.
- To fight against blood cancer, DKMS needs everyone’s involvement, regardless of gender, age and heritage.
- Those of mixed or diverse heritage are underrepresented on the registry, and heritage is one factor proven to determine the odds of finding a match to an unrelated donor. DKMS continues to focus on engaging, educating and empowering these communities through targeted campaigns, events, and partnerships.
Virtual Registration
- Blood cancer patients all over the world continue to urgently need our help. For many of these people a blood stem cell or bone marrow donation from a matching donor is their only chance of survival. DKMS encourages everyone that is able to, to register now as a potential blood stem cell or bone marrow donor and to provide hope for patients worldwide.
- For the protection of the population DKMS has postponed all planned in-person drives and events for the registration of new blood stem cell and bone marrow donors, and the organization has created an online registration action. Through this virtual registration, the public can order a registration kit through DKMS.org that will be sent directly to their home; individuals can easily perform the cheek swab themselves and mail the kit back to DKMS. So folks can register as potential life-saving donors without leaving their homes.