KSHB 41 reporter Marlon Martinez covers Clay and Platte County. Have a story idea to share with Marlon? Send him an e-mail.
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What started as a simple act of kindness turned into a life-saving moment 14 years later.
Melissa Kingston was on a Birthright event during a college trip. During that trip, she learned about Gift of Life and the need for stem cell donors.
“After hearing the presentation and seeing the stories of donors as well as patients whose lives were saved, we were able to partake," said Kingston.
And so Kingston did. She provided a DNA swab sample that was put into Gift of Life's registry.
“I couldn't even say that I've really thought about it very much since that day 14 years ago," said Kingston.
Until she received a phone call she wasn't expecting.
“They said, hi Melissa, we just wanted to let you know that you swabbed 14 years ago and you've matched as a stem cell donor. And I was really shocked when I heard the message," said Melissa.
Her swab was a match for a 63-year-old man that was battling Leukemia.
“It really does feel like something so much bigger than me. And it's kind of wild," said Kingston.
After confirming her stem cells were indeed a match, Kingston was flown out to Gift of Life's headquarters in Boca Raton, Florida for the stem cell donation process.
“It's hard to wrap my head around that it's something that I did that felt so small to me could be so impactful to someone's life and to their family," said Kingston.
Although the impact goes beyond then what she could imagine, a need for stem cell donors continues to grow.
“There's 42 million donors in the worldwide registry, and there are registries in different countries that make up a worldwide database. And we are still experiencing patients that are unable to find a matching donor in the registry," said Chris Camacho with Gift of Life.
Check out their website if you would like to learn how you can join the registry.
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