Unstoppable Testimonies

About two years ago I decided to become a bone marrow donor, because one of the days I was donating blood, I saw a leaflet which contained information about the bone marrow donation procedure and I said: Why not? From that day on I sought more information about the process, and convinced myself that, with a small sacrifice on my part, I could save a life.

In June I received a call from the Josep Carreras Foundation informing me know that there was a person in need with whom I was compatible. At first I was taken by surprise, because I didn’t expect them to find a match so soon, but at the same time it was gratifying to know that I could be of great help in saving someone’s life.

From that moment on, the first contacts with the foundation, medical check-ups and health controls began.

Once they had verified that everything was correct and in perfect condition to go ahead with the donation, they called me to the hospital to explain the whole procedure to me, from the start of the treatment to the day of the donation. I have to say that the whole team, both at the foundation and at the Virgen del Rocío Hospital, made everything much more pleasant thanks to the way they treated me and by kept me informed at all times of the guidelines to follow. 

What I found most unpleasant about the whole procedure was the treatment, which are injections that I had to administer myself at home.

Otherwise, my experience has been quite bearable, from the first day of the treatment until the day of the donation, I have only had slight discomfort in my waist and chest.

The day of the donation went quite well, despite being in the hospital bed for 3 hours connected to the machine for the peripheral stem cell extraction. My body reacted quite well and as soon as I finished the donation, I was able to return home in perfect condition. I only felt a little tired, and a day at home to relax was enough to get me back to my daily routine. A couple of weeks later, I was able to return to my sports routine, as I am an athlete and train every day, and I returned to my normal life without any symptoms or discomfort in my body.

I would like to thank the entire team at the Virgen del Rocío Hospital who have dealt with me during this experience, to thank them for their professionalism and how nicely they treated me and, of course, to thank the Josep Carreras Foundation for the great work they do in SAVING LIVES.

It has been a very rewarding experience. I am very proud to be able to contribute through this gesture, if it means saving a life.  I encourage everyone who can to do this altruistic act, as there is no greater satisfaction than being able to help save a life.

Best regards,

Manuel