I have a match and I have known him for 24 years.  Colin (my son) will be donating his stem cells to save my life.  

Colin and Kailey were automatically half matches or what is called Haploidentical match. Parents and children are automatically Haplo matches and sometimes siblings are as well.  Johns Hopkins pioneered Haploidentical transplant, and it is the only type of transplant they do.  Only 30% of transplants are done with an unrelated 100% matched donor.  The rest are now Haplo transplants.  Colin came back a 7 out of 10 so I like to call him my ¾ match.   Massy Cancer Center and my transplant team perform many Haploidentical transplants and there is no difference in outcome. The difference is the medication I will take after transplant. My BFF joked that she thought Kailey would be an exact match (those who know the two of us, get that).  Kailey was a match the same as Colin – they simply go with the younger of the two and for medical reasons I didn’t delve into – given the choice, they choose young men vs. young women.  

I have many tests in the next month in preparation for transplant.  The 4 rounds of the horrific chemo regimen did its job, and I am where I need to be for transplant. Colin will undergo several days of testing then donate his stem cells which is similar to donating blood.  The next day they transplant them to me. Transplant will likely happen in late April – all contingent on testing. 

As many of you know, Colin has had severe life-threatening food allergies his whole life.  When I found out he was my match, Fred said, “God picked Colin because you saved his life a few times, now he gets to save yours”.  

Once again, if you want to do anything for our family, please consider giving blood or platelets or both.  I have had so many transfusions of blood and platelets; I have lost count.  Without those transfusions, I would not be writing this. The American Red Cross makes it easy to donate. 

And if you are 18-40 please consider swabbing up (super easy mouth swab – ask Kailey and Colin) and donate to the Be the Match. They desperately need donors.  If I didn’t have children, I wouldn’t have a match. 

Thank you for all the cards (I save them all) and texts and food and prayers. Fred and I are immensely thankful for it all! And I want to thank Becky and Tom Arruda.  They have been through this horrible battle and are on the other side winning.  They are my beacon of hope and most days the only people who “get” what Fred and I are going through.  Their strength and encouragement and advice has been and will continue to be treasured by us.