Health is Personal

How many of you have personal health stories, that sometimes drive your interest in health or your research in the area?  I have heard anecdotes from my colleagues so I know some of you do.

Today I will make a note about a personal health story.  It’s not related to my research, although indirectly it’s related to my experience at the conference.  My co-author, Dr. Nicoleta Serban, was scheduled to present our joint work yesterday.  However, this year her sister was diagnosed with leukemia.  My age, and given a prognosis of a few months without a transplant.  They searched for a match and couldn’t find one that was 100%, but decided to go forward with a half-match from Nicoleta.  She was scheduled to make the bone marrow transplant for this Monday, thus I came to the conference earlier and made the presentation.  You can get more information about Nicoleta’s sister Mihaela on a website that they update http://www.match4mihaela.org/.

You want to do something positive in healthcare?  Register to be a bone marrow donor.  It’s quick and painless to register (no needles!). I think they can mail you a kit and you mail it back.  I have been on the list for years and never called, so I infer that the probability they will need you is small, but if they do you save someone’s life.  Still not willing?  you can donate to help support the cost of typing and identifying matches.

https://www.dkmsamericas.org/register

don’t wait until your death to provide a(n organ) transplant to someone, you can be a match today.

JS
mn lottery