It's easy to operate under the false assumption that we are invincible when we are young. That we are healthy and strong, and can't be bothered with how vulnerable we actually are to disease, debilitating injuries, pain, suffering, and even death. But every once in a while, comes a very healthy slap to the face, bringing us collectively back to reality: that mortality is a very real thing, and it's hitting me remarkably close to home.
I met Jack when I was in second grade. He was in my class very briefly, before he transferred out, to a different teacher. I'm actually much better acquainted with his twin brother, since we had more classes together in high school, and play rugby, Rock Band, and board games during holidays with a group of friends from high school. Though I didn't spend very much time hanging out with Jack, I know that he is an extraordinary individual. He was involved in Speech and Debate in high school, went onto West Point, and then graduated from UCLA. He is a scholar, an athlete, an extremely determined individual, and a genuinely friendly person.
Last summer, Jack was diagnosed with Acute Leukemia Syndrome. Rounds of chemotherapy changed nothing; his only option now is a bone marrow transplant.
Unfortunately, his parents aren't matches. Even Jim, his twin brother, isn't a match. The really, truly, knots-your-stomach-frightening thing is that his chances of finding a match are extremely slim. Like 1 in 20,000 slim. And if a match cannot be found, and soon, it means that Jack, for all of his courage and fight, will die.
The statistics behind finding a match are generally shitty: There are 9.5 million people in the Be the Match Bone Marrow Registry, which is roughly only 2 percent of the entire US population. To make matters worse, there's a significant number of people in the registry that will not donate if asked to do so. (The percentages of donors who are available and willing are: 65 for Caucasians; 47 percent for Hispanics; 44 percent for Asians; 34 percent for African-Americans.) Finding a match is especially difficult for minority groups, with multi-racial/multi-ethnic individuals having the hardest time finding matches.
This isn't a situation where Jack was involved in a Final Destination - style untimely accident. He has a shot at life so long as people step up and register. The more people that register with the Be the Match bone marrow donor program, the more likely that a match can be found. His family and friends are currently employing every resource they have to find a donor, including Reddit, the TC registry, and crowd-sourcing on Facebook. They are fighting to give him his best chance, and I am doing my best to do the same.
I'm not just asking you to think about mortality right now. I'm also asking you to help:
Please take five minutes and join the National Marrow Donor Registry. This site has just about everything you need to know about the registry and bone marrow transplants. You complete a brief questionnaire, some straightforward registry forms, and you're 90% done. Assuming you agree, the organization will send you a cheek swab kit to obtain a sample of your cells. And the kit is exactly as it sounds; you swab four giant q-tip things on the inside of your cheeks, and you send the kit right back. Absolutely painless.
You could also find a local bone marrow drive to register immediately. You could also plan your own bone marrow drive.
If you are a match for someone in need, you will be contacted by a medical professional. Jack has a greater chance of matching someone of Asian descent (only about 7% of the 9.5 million donors are of Asian descent), so I especially encourage all those in the category to apply. You may not be a match for Jack, but you may be a match for someone else, and be that person's best chance at life.
Last, but certainly not least, please pass this message on.
Thank you.
