From Nursing Student to lifesaver
Annemarie, Blood stem cell donor
“ My story started when my 18-year-old self entered college with aspirations like yours: graduate, become a great nurse, and build lifelong friendships. Never on my to-do list was to save a life.
As a freshman, I learned from my peers on campus how simple it is to register as a stem cell donor. I decided to get swabbed, not knowing where it would lead.
Many years went by, I graduated college, and started my nursing career as an infusion nurse for pediatric oncology and hematology patients. One day last year, I got a call from— I am a match!
The night before my donation felt like being a kid on Christmas Eve. Knowing I was about to donate my lifesaving cells, while my match was somewhere else in the country preparing to receive them, was a surreal feeling. I left the donation center crying happy tears, knowing my blood stem cells would be on a plane and headed to save a life.”
Your nursing journey can change lives beyond the hospital. Host a stem cell donor drive with
Email drives @ dkms. org to get started.