Simple Way Of Donating Bone Marrow Still Saves Lives
DENVER (CBS4)- The myth about donating bone marrow requiring surgery is just that- a myth. There’s a simpler way of giving that can still save lives called peripheral blood stem cell donation or PBSC.
“I feel good, this is, it’s a lot better than I thought it was going to be,” said marrow donor Ben Moss.
PBSC is now the most common way of collecting potentially lifesaving cells.
“We did some cheek swabs that we got from a package on the internet and sent them back and I really didn’t give it another thought whatsoever,” said Moss.
Within a year, Moss learned he was indeed a match for someone needing a transplant.
“Initially I thought that it was going to be like House MD and I was going to have a big needle jammed into my hip,” said Moss.
PBSC requires five drug injections to move blood-forming cells from your bone marrow to your bloodstream.
The process is like a five hour blood donation. Blood from one arm passes through a machine that separates out the needed cells. The remaining blood is returned through the other arm.
“Most people go back to work within a day or two,” said Dr. Joe Chaffin with Bonfils Blood Center.
“I feel good, I feel very energetic about it, very positive and it gives me hope, too,” said Moss.
“Our marrow and stem cell donors are heroes plain and simple. They are doing something to help a recipient who really has very, very few other options,” said Chaffin.