Unstoppable Testimonies

My name is Guillem and last February I made a bone marrow donation for a child suffering from leukaemia.

It all started two years ago, when I went with two friends to donate blood at the hospital. At that time I was totally unaware of what bone marrow was and that you could be a bone marrow donor, but a friend who was with me explained it to me and, without even thinking about it, I decided to become a donor.

In September of last year, the professionals of the Josep Carreras Foundation tried to contact me. At the time I was on my doctoral studies in California. And when I returned, my mother told me that she had received a letter from the Foundation asking me to contact them, so I did. And that’s when they told me that there was a patient who needed a bone marrow transplant with whom I was highly compatible and asked me if I wanted to go ahead with the process.

At that moment, I said yes without even thinking about it. So I decided to continue with the tests to see if I was fully compatible with the patient. And when they saw that I was, the professionals asked me again if I wanted to continue the process. And I, just as determined, said yes.

The doctors recommended that I donate by means of puncture in the iliac crests of the pelvis. This bone marrow extraction consists of going to the operating theatre one day and, under general anaesthesia, the doctors puncture the bone and extract the bone marrow. Although it sounds very complicated and painful, I can assure you that it isn’t.

During the donation process I have realised that people do not have much information about this issue. I therefore encourage everyone to find out more about what it means to be a bone marrow donor. They will see that there is no risk to the donor. Moreover, I can assure you that it is a painless procedure as you are under general anaesthesia and you are not aware of anything. And the day after the operation you can move around without any problem and without any pain.

I remember the day of the extraction as a special day, a day on which I was able to help someone in a completely selfless manner. Someone who needs you in order to live, someone who is having a hard time and whose life is getting greyer by the day. For this reason, in order to bring colour back into a person’s life, it is essential for us to be able to help. Moreover, in my case it was for a child who, unfortunately, was unable do all the things a normal child would do, but instead is having to fight against a disease that could end up taking that child’s life away. So I hope and wish that this child can now enjoy a life full of colours, rainbows and happiness. Because no one should be denied the right to live, least of all a child.

Finally, I would like to thank the entire team at the Josep Carreras Foundation for being readily available for me and especially Cecilia, who is such a lovely person. I also want to thank all the professionals in the hospital, from the doctors to the nurses to the assistants. Thanks to all of them for making me feel at home.

And I don’t want to forget to thank all the people who are fighting each day against a disease so that life can find its path. You are truly heroes.