Colin Shaw, a graduate student at NEC, was given a rare opportunity to save a life and took it. NEC hosts the National Marrow Donor Program (NDMP), formerly called BeTheMatch, every year. A representative from NDMP shares a story about someone who made a life-saving donation, and then student have the choice to swab their cheeks to be tested as a potential match for a patient in need of stem cells.
Shaw had his cheek swabbed last year.
“NEC is what led me to donating because I ended up here, and was there that day, it is kind of cool,” Shaw said.
Shaw received the call a few weeks ago and said he immediately knew he’d step up.
“As scary as it sounds to donate it, your stem cells, your bone marrow, it’s helping somebody. The chance to help somebody, if you have the option, if you have the ability, why not?” Shaw said.
Shaw is thankful to those who have helped him through the donor process.
“The people that were there the day that I donated keep checking in on me. Allie Birchmier was the one that handed me the test swab when I did it and, she’s checked in on me a couple of times. My baseball coach, Terry Doyle, he’s the one that has us go to this thing, and he’s checked in a couple of times,” Shaw said.
Shaw will head to New York Sunday, and he will go through the process of donating his stem cells through an IV. The IV process filters and returns his blood to collect stem cells.
According to the organization, the recipient will remain anonymous unless they choose otherwise after the procedure. Shaw may not ever know the recipient but said donating was a chance to do something kind.
“It’s kind of the way I was raised, if you have the means to help you help,” Shaw said.
