World Marrow Donor Day: A Story of Hope and Healing

In recognition of World Marrow Donor Day on September 21, 2024, we're sharing a powerful story from MUSC Hollings Cancer Center about the life-changing impact of stem cell transplants. The voices of MUSC Stem Cell Recipient Irene Albritton, her physician, Hematologist/Oncologist Kimberly Michelle Green, D.O., M.S., and MUSC Stem Cell Donor Cody Landers shed light on the emotional journey to transplant, the decision-making process and the transformative power of marrow donation.

Read the Transcript:

Irene Albritton:

"December 17th, I was diagnosed with AML. And so that's when all this started, and so I went into the hospital the next day for a month."

Dr. Kimberly Michelle Green:

"This was a particular case where a patient was diagnosed with a blood disorder called acute myeloid leukemia. She was found to have a high-risk disease by virtue of a chromosome in her blood that was abnormal. And from that, that dictated the fact that she needed an allogeneic stem cell transplant to entertain the idea of remission and potential cure."

Irene Albritton:

"I wasn't going to do it. I just was adamant. I was not going to do it. I was a — I'm a retired hospital chaplain, and I love hospice. I manage the hospice chaplains. I was one, and I was thinking this may just be my time. And it's time for me to — because AML, acute myeloid leukemia, can be a terminal disease. It often is, and so I thought I'll just die with grace."

"And so then I called down here and talked to Melinda just to look at clinical trials. I wasn't going to do the transplant. I was not. And that woman is so good at talking to people that by the time we got off the phone, I had an appointment to come down here to meet Dr. Greene to talk about the transplant. And I just think that was one of the beginning of the miracles."

"What stood out, first of all, was that they were doing this as a team. Dr. Greene made me — helped me understand that she could not make the decision on her own. You have to get approved, and that made me very comfortable."

Landers:

"That day, we signed up, and some friends and I were going to get lunch. There were a couple of cute girls at the table that we wanted to impress, so we signed up. And then when I got the call in the email or the letter saying that I was a match, it wasn't really much of a decision. It was a no-brainer because I didn't really know who it was, but I was given the age of who the patient was that needed my stem cells. And it was a similar age to what my grandmother was, so I accepted because if my grandmother was in that situation, I'd want someone to be able to accept and also donate."

"And then getting that letter from Irene when we first met about 18 months after the day of the donation just confirmed everything. And it was good to know that what I did worked and that the stem cells had worked and that it had taken and that she was healthy now."

Irene Albritton:

"How my life has changed is, well, like my bracelet says, just live. And that's what I'm doing, living."

What You Can Do

On this World Marrow Donor Day, consider joining the global registry of marrow donors. Your decision could be the life-saving miracle someone is waiting for. Visit our Living Donor page to learn more and register today. Be the match that offers hope and healing.

Learn more about bone and marrow transplants at MUSC Hollings Cancer Center.