Be the Match – Save a Life
By : Bren Brown
I don’t know why I’m wired this way, but each day I really do wake up thinking—how can I make a difference today? I have always thought this way and it seems to be a part of my DNA. I don’t think it had to do as much with my upbringing as it did my hard wiring, but when I get a call like I did a few months ago, I’m thankful I hear that voice.
Cortni Lind is a person from my past, our sons played high school football together. Her son was a senior when mine was a freshman. She is the local coordinator for a national non-profit called Be the Match. This is a donor registry for persons diagnosed with blood cancers, which apparently in this country happens every few minutes. Judging by those numbers, you may know someone personally. I know I do. But, now I know two because Cortni introduced me to a family whose little boy was diagnosed with Aplastic Anemia–a fancy word for a blood cancer.
Grant is six years old and lives in DeSoto, KS. That isn’t far from our Kansas location and when I heard six years old, my momma heart was stolen. Blood cancer at any age is devastating but immediately I imagined not Grant, but his mom. Nothing is really worse than watching a child suffer and not being able to do anything about it. Nothing, in my book. Every mom has done it on some level, but to hear blood cancer and know you could get help IF the right person agrees to be a donor with Be the Match? I imagine the panic, the heart ache, and the sheer agony of explaining to a little six year old what is happening. And, forget the “why”. There are no words to fashion for adults, much less a six year old, for ‘why’ these things happen. It’s a broken world and broken things happen.
My heart shattered for her when contemplating this scenario and looking into that cute little guy’s eyes.
We agreed to do a drive for potential donors. Our goal was to get 20 clients and staff to register as a potential match for Grant, or anyone else waiting for a match. We knew that because of our mission of faith, family and freedom, that many of you would be willing. It’s a commitment. Some of us are, ahem, overqualified since we are past the age of 40. But, we were all willing to try. We await if there was a match in our group, but we signed up 45 of you on the registry. We are thankful to every single one of you. And, it’s not too late. If you missed the drive, you can still sign up. Click here and get started.
Because, today and every day, you CAN make a difference. If this is the way today, by signing up, thank you from a momma heart that understands Grant’s momma’s heart. If you get selected to be a donor of stem cells or of blood marrow, then know that you have changed someone’s life forever, but you have brought hope to all those around them as well. Including all of us at Frontier Justice. Let’s spread the word and spread the hope—our broken world needs it.
- It is FREE to join the registry.
- It is FREE to donate stem cells.
- It only takes a few minutes to join and swab your cheek.
- Be the Match will NEVER share your information- they are committed to protecting your privacy.
- Be between ages 18-40.
- Be in general good health.
- Commit to donating cells to ANY patient in need & stay on the registry until you are 61 years old.
