FORT SILL, Okla. (May 30, 2013) -- C.W. Bill Young Marrow Donor Program personnel will visit Fort Sill June 3-7 seeking to add potential bone marrow or stem cell donors to a list of about 1 million people. The donor drive will stop at various units June 3-6 and at the Main Exchange June 7.
Because many leukemia patients benefit from bone marrow transplants, the program offers another ray of hope. Michelle and Spc. James Bassett, Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 1st Battalion, 14th Field Artillery, encountered the disease long before the two met.
In 2000, James should have been a strong 20-year-old civilian; instead he was constantly tired and often found inexplicable large bruises on his body.During a bad illness his mother saw enough and demanded he go to the hospital where tests determined he had the disease.
"I was scared, confused and really didn't understand what it was all about," he said.
Fortunately his sister, Angela Robinson, was a perfect match. Since that transplant, James is cancer-free and was allowed to enlist in the Army.
Meanwhile, as he regained his strength, in 2003 Michelle lost her son, Trevor, age 4, to leukemia. While James's sister was a suitable donor, Trevor relied on an unrelated donor. His case is more common, because for every person who finds a family member donor, three others must find a match outside their immediate bloodlines. Most occur within the same racial background as the recipient.
Trevor had a chance when a donor was found, however, that person backed out of the procedure at the wrong time. Though Michelle still deals with anger for that person's decision, she hopes her story will persuade others to follow through should the opportunity arise for them to donate.
"The more information I get out, the more it will help other parents and hopefully, get the awareness out about how important it is to register to be a donor," she said.
Trevor developed leukemia at age 2, and chemotherapy initially worked as the disease went into remission for seven-months. But, a month later it returned, and doctors determined he needed a bone marrow transplant. When immediate family members didn't match, doctors found a young woman whose blood type and characteristics offered his best chance for a transplant.
The young woman flew to Washington, D.C., for last-minute testing and a complete physical. That's when the breakdown occurred in the process. She still consented to go through the donation process, and when she did, doctors began doses of high-level radiation to kill Trevor's bone marrow and any trace of the disease.
The following weekend the woman arrived to go through a series of shots to raise her stem cell count. For patients such as Staff Sgt. Christopher Burnham, mentioned in last week's Cannoneer, the process was pain-free. However, technicians reminded the woman again she could experience bone aches and flu-like symptoms for up to two weeks. Michelle said potential donors initially get that information, but for whatever reason, the young woman didn't react ... until it was too late.
Michelle said the young woman backed out due to a personal commitment she didn't want to miss.
"When she did, it was too late to save my son," she said.
"For anyone who is really interested in this, if asked, 'Would you go through seven days of discomfort to save someone's life?' most won't think twice about it," said Michelle, who added she could understand someone declining due to concerns of missing a very important activity, but not when it was too late. "If she would have backed out sooner, I would have had more time with my son, and perhaps time to find another donor match."
Instead, Nov. 15, 2003 Michelle held Trevor in her arms when he died.
"It's great to be in the registry, but when you receive that phone call, and they tell you what is expected of you and the possible symptoms or side effects you might experience, listen," implored Michelle.
In 2010, Michelle developed Stage 2 breast cancer. Despite this setback, the 30-year-old mother of two would receive what she called "a blessing" from an unexpected source. She met James online through a cancer support group and said the two clicked in part because he knew firsthand what she meant by having "a cancer day."
Having just enlisted in the Army, James got stationed at Fort Sill. Three months later, he asked her to marry him, but she said only when she became cancer-free. That date came April 17, 2011, and the two married May 26.
"I knew from Day 1 he was a special man," said Michelle.
She now is an active volunteer on post serving in her husband's unit care team and family readiness group, and manages the Soldier's Closet here.
Michelle isn't a registered donor but will look into it to see if she can participate.
"It's phenomenal Fort Sill is doing this donor drive; I'm so proud to be a member of this community," she said.
Because Michelle said cancer runs in her family, and leukemia has yet to be declared completely curable, the couple live their lives thankful for each day together.
"I don't take anything for granted," said James. "Since both of us are cancer survivors, we don't sweat the small stuff."
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