Davis cancer survivor urges others to get their marrow matched
Kirsten Mitchell found her match in Germany.
Now she's encouraging others to become potential bone marrow matches at a "Marrowthon Drive" next week.
Sacramento-area residents have a chance to join a marrow registry from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday at UC Davis Cancer Center, 4501 X St. Donors from age 18 through 60 in good health will be asked to fill out a questionnaire, sign a consent form and have a few cells swabbed from inside their cheek.
Mitchell survived eight rounds of chemotherapy to beat Stage 4 lymphoma three years ago, but in 2007, she learned that she had leukemia.
A bone marrow donor was found, and the donor, a German man, drove 100 kilometers to a hospital to help save her life. Mitchell received the transplant at UC Davis Center in March 2008, according to a center press release.
Back working part time as a massage therapist, Mitchell described how grateful she is this way:
"Every smile I'm here to give and receive, every birthday cake I bake for my nieces, every school project I get to help with, every dinner I cook for my wonderful mother, every random stranger I have a brief, sweet contact with -- every single moment of every single day I love to honor my donor and his great gift," Mitchell said in a UC Davis release.
For more information call Bloodsource at (866) 822-5663.