With all the political hocus-pocus that’s enveloped the United States over the past year, I’m starting to get “petition burn-out,” “marcher’s burn-out,” and just a general “call-to-action burn-out.” This is not to say I won’t shake it off and keep speaking up for what I believe is right—it’s just that, sometimes, I need a nap. Or maybe a slap to remind me to keep going.
I was shaken out of my activist-complacency this afternoon when I read an article about a young woman in India named Rajee who has been living with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) since the age of 12.
This cancer affects the production of white blood cells, which results in an impaired immune system and the inability to fight off infection.
Rajee’s CML seemed to be manageable, allowing her to grow up, get an education, find love, and get married. Then, her cancer took a sinister turn and went into what is called “Blast Crisis.” That is when the clock began ticking—which brings us to today.
Rajee has only a very short time to live unless she receives a stem cell transplant, and the odds of her finding a match are less than one percent.
Here’s where the Patient Worthy Community can make a difference.
By submitting a cheek swab and sending it in to the donor registry Be the Match, you could be the person who literally saves Rajee’s life. If registering isn’t an option, then please share her story to help get the word out.
I know that stem cell transplants do save lives. A friend of mine was given 60 days to live when her chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) transformed into a far deadlier cancer. She found her needle-in-a-haystack donor match and today, she’s cured!
