Donor Story

“I felt like I had just done something really meaningful with my life”

In May 2019, during a Stem cell donation drive, Puviyarasu learned about blood stem cell donation and how it can potentially help save someone’s life. He registered with DKMS BMST and in April 2022, he got the rare opportunity to be a lifesaver.

06/06/2022

Sharing his account about the donation process – “When I heard about blood stem cell donation, I was very intrigued. I didn’t think I could ever potentially save someone’s life so easily. It’s a noble cause and I was confident that if I ever came up as a match for someone, I would definitely go through with the donation.

In April 2022, I got the incredible opportunity to help save someone’s life. I received a call from the DKMS BMST team and they notified me about a patient whom I could help. Although I was in Singapore, without a second thought, I knew I had to travel to Bangalore right away. Someone’s life was now in my hands.

The donation process

When the donation was nearing, I didn’t do any prepping. I just decided to go with the flow. I was really excited for what I was about to experience, but my family was nervous for me. None of them had ever donated their stem cells before, or even registered to be a potential donor. But I was able to reassure them that everything would be okay.

The donation went on for about 3 hours. Initially, I was a bit worried because the machine wasn’t separating any stem cells for about 30 minutes. Once we started seeing the stem cells, we were at ease, and the rest of the process went smoothly. The medical professionals and the DKMS BMST team kept me engaged the entire time and took really good care of me.

After the donation

After the donation, the discomfort wore off and I started to feel great about what I had just done. I felt like I had just done something really meaningful with my life. It was a moment I will cherish forever. I thought about the recipient a lot. I really hoped that my donation would make a difference to his life. He’s fighting such a tough battle at such a young age, and I just hoped that he would recover soon. I will be waiting for the day that I heard about his full recovery. I also hope I get the opportunity to meet him someday.

Message for all

The PBSC donation is a quick and easy process, but it can make all the difference in the world, to a patient. I was lucky to have the opportunity to donate my blood stem cells, it may only come once in your lifetime. It will give you a sense of fulfilment and make you feel like you’ve done something great with your life. I urge everyone to register themselves as potential donors, so they may also be awarded a rare opportunity to be a lifesaver.

How you can help

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we are calling on more people to take the first step and register for a home swab kit. If you’d like to register as a potential blood stem cell donor you can check your eligibility and sign up today.

Anyone aged between 18-50 years and in general good health can go on standby as a potential lifesaver. If you're not eligible or you're already registered, check out some of the other ways to get involved in the fight against blood cancer

Related stories