DKMS

DKMS has set itself the goal of defeating blood cancer. Every day, they motivate people to register with the database to give people around the world a chance at a second life! We are particularly pleased that since the DKMS registration campaign, six colleagues have already been shortlisted as stem cell donors and thus as potential life savers. Considering the fact that more than 13,000 tissue characteristics have to match in donor and recipient, this is probably a remarkable number!

Many thanks to all helpers, registrants and previous donors for their commitment before, during and after the campaign. We are looking forward to adding many more donors to the existing ones in the near future.

I have been registered with DKMS for almost two decades and during this time I was always hoping to be able to save someone’s life in our neighborhood. Years went by and I was not asked, but then a year ago a call came out of the blue and I was called for a preliminary examination. On that occasion the potential recipient opted for an alternative treatment, but recently I was contacted again.

It did come as a bit of a surprise and, even when the prospect is no easy one, it was a goosebump moment for me. I was very happy that I could help at long last and actually save a life. I didn't know anything about my genetic twin, for reasons of privacy, but I was anyhow immediately ready to get started. The first step is a complete health check, to make sure that only healthy stem cells are made available. I got a clean bill of health, so we could start with the pre-treatment in the form of a spray cure for collection. To be honest I had to endure a few side effects: headaches, back pain and a fair amount of leg pain. But heck, what's that when it gives you the chance to save a life? The harvesting itself is performed by a machine and takes a good four to five hours, constantly supervised by several medical specialists. In the end, I was clearly able to deliver a very good result with 5.6 million stem cells (only 4.2 million were needed).

After being extracted in Cologne, my stem cells were shock-frozen and shipped to Australia for delivery to my 30-something recipient there. This information I only learned a short time after my donation. Now I have to wait and see whether my stem cells are accepted. I will be kept informed about this at regular intervals for several months. I am keeping my fingers crossed that the treatment will be successful and hope that I will be able to meet my recipient at some point, at the earliest after two years – if he or she wants to.

All in all, the entire process was very well organized by DKMS, from medical advice to collection and aftercare. I have since also joined the DKMS Donor Club, in this way I can support the organization even further. For example, by giving advice to potential donors or as an ambassador at information events. I think the work of the DKMS is enormously important, because, after all, we could all find ourselves in difficulty and in urgent need of a donor.

I have had occasion to report twice so far about my experiences as a donor with DKMS: First about my stem cell donation in 2016 and then about the initial contact in writing with the recipient of my stem cells in 2019. Contact between donor and recipient is only possible after a waiting period and by mutual consent. Now I have reached another important and exciting milestone on my journey, because this year our summer vacation took us to France. It is where my recipient, who was living in America at the time of the donation, has since moved to. We soon agreed that we would both like to get to know one another face-to-face at long last. Contact between donor and recipient is usually only possible after a blocking period and after mutual consent.

I was very excited before we arrived: How would the first meeting go? Would we like one another? After all, we were two complete strangers and had previously only been in contact by email. It therefore came as a relief that my family and I were welcomed with open arms and it was a very emotional moment for everyone. We spent a few wonderful days together and got to know each other well, explored his hometown and shared his passion for good food. Although there was one topic we kept coming back to: He related to us a lot about his serious illness, his stem cell transfusion and the many worrying thoughts that went through his head. He was also extremely curious about my story: Why did I register? How does the process work in Germany? Why was I so eager to meet him?

We exchanged our views at length and had a great time together. Whenever we were together, I often detected in him an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for being given a second chance. A beautiful friendship has since developed and we now plan another meeting, this time in Hamburg.