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The definition of a hero can be explained as an object or act of extreme admiration and devotion. Police officers, firefighters and military servicemembers are often perceived as real life heroes.
Bone marrow donors are also heroes. They volunteer to help save the life of someone that can be a complete stranger. With more than 30,000 people nationwide hoping for a donation – 500 being military – every donation has the chance of giving someone and their family another chance to lead a healthy life.
And for some families, that need is greater than others. Though Navy Lt. Steven Flynn, currently stationed in Brunswick, Maine, and his family are just one of many military families trying to find a bone marrow match for their children, he has three children in need of a donor.
“Our family has had the unfortunate luck of having three of our five children stricken with a terrible disease,” said Lieutenant Flynn. “Two of the three girls – the twins, Julia and Jorja – who are only a year old now, obviously do not know the outcomes of their diseases, but our 7-year-old daughter, Jordan, does and she knows she will need a bone marrow transplant in the near future. This is a scary time for our family, but with the help of our military family, we hope to find a donor to save our children.”
Team Ramstein will be helping in the effort to find a donor by hosting a bone marrow donor registration drive Monday to Oct. 10. Individuals can register through their unit points of contact or at Ramstein and Vogelweh base exchanges from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 10. Active-duty military members, their dependents, DOD civilians and contractors between 18 and 60 years old are allowed to register.
Military members can also take a registration packet home to their spouses and family members who are older than 18 and unable to register during that time.
“It is a wonderful blessing to be able to help someone who is very ill to recover,” said Michael Waschek, 435th Mission Support Squadron civilian personnel officer, who recently donated. “In my case, a 14-year-old boy was the recipient and he was able to return to the things he really enjoyed doing once recovery from the bone marrow transfusion was complete. The discomfort involved in the process is minimal compared to the potential results of saving someone’s life.”
“If you find out you are a match, there is no better gift than the gift of life,” said Master Sgt. Daniel MacDonald, 435th Civil Engineer Squadron NCOIC of Contingency Operations and group unit deployment manager. “In 1992, my mother passed away from lung cancer and although this type of treatment would not have helped her, I saw the program as a way to do my part. In 2001 and 2005, I donated to the same person twice.”
Donating is a simple process. Almost anyone can register to donate even if they have been stationed overseas, taken anti-malaria medication, have recent tattoos or have received recent immunizations. The initial registration involves a simple swab of the mouth and the completion of some paperwork.
For details, contact Capt. Patrick Schwomeyer at 480-5911.
