DONORS

MESSAGE FROM MARIA DE LOS ANGELES CELESTINO, ALTRUIST DONORMO’S DONOR.

August, 26, 2004.

Good evening ladies and Gentleman.

My name is Maria de los Angeles Celestino Hernández. I am registered as an unrelated bone marrow donor at DONORMO. The main reason for me to become a donor and to have given my bone marrow was my first son Elmer Zaid. He was diagnosed with juvenile chronic myelocitic leukemia; his disease behaved as an adult leukemia according to his doctor and therefore it  was very aggressive. He died a year and four months after he was diagnosed.

We consulted with Doctor Radillo, hematologist from the naval hospital in Mexico, he then referred us to Dr. Clara Gorodezky since she could offer my son an opportunity of life looking for a compatible bone marrow donor for him.  My son never got the chance to get his transplant, not because of lack of adonor, since his little sister was found to be  HLA compatible with him, but because his health conditions got worse and  he never achieved remission, so the transplant could never be performed.

When he died, we thought someone else may need the bone marrow and we were ready to provide it.  For this reason, in 1997 my husband and I joined DONORMO (Unrelated Bone Marrow Donor Registry) and my daughter will join as well,  when she turns 18 years.

Two years ago, I was  called to donate for a  patient with whom I was compatible. He needed my bone marrow to get his transplant; without having second thoughts, I went to DONORMO and was ready to donate. The procedure used on me  is called aphaeresis (similar to the platelet donation).

It resulted ia successful transplant! I decided to continue collaborating.  in case someone else was found to be in need. If so, I would happily do it again.

Physically and physiologically I have felt very well since the procedure, having a pleasant satisfaction knowing I contributed saving someone else’s life.

I exhort people reading this testimony, to participate in the DONORMO program, since it brings a great deal of satisfaction to know you have given an  opportunity of life,  to someone else. We do not know if we may be the ones in need someday. If we can spare people from hurt, just by giving them a few of our cells and it will not harm us, why shouldn’t we? We are all sbrothers and sisters,  after all.

INTERNATIONAL DONORS.

Brian's Testimony click here.

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