Real Name: Steven Mayer Member Since: May 18, 2006 Last Signed In: November 16, 2009 Profile Views: 613 Blog Views: 22923 What recession? CEO of agency that administers health care to poor gets $13,000 raise Should Kern institute zero tolerance for dog attacks? Are Bako's dog control laws strict enough? Bakersfield man needs bone marrow transplant Mojave company qualifies for million-dollar Lunar Lander X-Prize Blowing dust prompts health warning With little ammo against H1N1, officials aim at seasonal flu Should the Secret Service have investigated alleged local threat to Obama? VICIOUS ATTACK: Are we tougher on violent humans than we are on violent dogs? State asking for billions more in stimulus for high-speed rail September 07 October 07 November 07 December 07 January 08 February 08 March 08 April 08 May 08 June 08 July 08 August 08 September 08 October 08 November 08 December 08 January 09 February 09 March 09 April 09 May 09 June 09 July 09 August 09 September 09 October 09 November 09 Get an e-mail with a magazine you can print to read on the go. Sign up for the Topp Stories Printcast.
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Too much bad news? Try this on for a CHANGE.
Terry Bowe is a lifesaver. In 2005, he donated his blood stem cells to a critically ill patient whose name he didn't know and whose city of residence remained a guarded secret. Nearly four years after receiving Bowe's life-saving gift, Arizona resident Kimberly Richards remains a survivor -- and a thriver. "Terry considered it a privilege to be given the opportunity to save someone else's life," Richards said Wednesday from her home in Arizona. "Where would I be if he hadn't?" Now at age 54, Bowe has the rare chance to do it again. The Bakersfield husband and father's bone marrow has been matched to a 59-year-old man suffering from leukemia. Once again, Bowe doesn't even know the recipient's name. "I'm amazed that I get to do this again," Bowe said. "After my first experience, I swore I would do it again in a heartbeat. And I am. No hesitation. What do you think of Bowe's actions? Read the full story here. 13 comments from 10 users
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posted by
smayer
on Jul 22, 2009 at 11:16 AM
Karenpol -- Thanks for that late post -- both your personal experience AND the info about the upcoming blues fest. I appreciate it, and I know others do too. posted by
karenpol
on Jul 22, 2009 at 11:01 AM
It is a great thing that Terry is doing - I'm a recipient of a unrelated donor and had a transplant for my leukemia in Oct 08, someday I'd like to meet my donor in person. I also want to place a plug for the Blues Fest that will be held Saturday, Sept 19 at CSUB - it benefits Houchin Blood Bank's Bone Marror Registry Program where people can register AT NO COST and WITH NO APPOINTMENT due to proceeds from this concert. Check it out at www.hbbc.com or http://shopworldrecords.com.... Karen
posted by
jokerhill
on Jul 16, 2009 at 09:20 PM
What I gather from your earlier story is that there have been at least 6 matches 5 years ago, now we at least have 7 with Mr. Bowe a second time and me a first timer. I'll bet there is more out there from the last 5 years though. Thanks for filling in some of my questions. I know there is a shortage of O+ blood now as they are calling me, but I can't donate now so someone needs to step up and donate for me. Who will it be? I hope someone see this and goes down and donates and gets signed up for the marrow donation tomorrow. I believe they will be giving away Jamba juices and a summer drive t- shirt soon check with the blood bank. Jeff
posted by
elinem
on Jul 16, 2009 at 02:19 PM
Great story, Steve. And FYI, catpaw, the disagreement is over the use of embryonic stem cells specifically, not adult stem cells. posted by
smayer
on Jul 16, 2009 at 01:59 PM
Jeff -- I can't thank your enough for highlighting little Mikella's role in this phenomenon in Bakersfield. In a story I wrote about Terry Bowe in 2005, your theory is pretty much verified as fact. Here's an excerpt:
Bowe first got involved about five years ago when a young leukemia patient named Mikella McAuley was in the news. The 6-year-old was desperately in need of a bone marrow transplant, and her family's plight captured the hearts of thousands in Kern County. Bowe was one of more than 2,000 who responded by registering with the National Marrow Donor Program, a national registry that connects bone marrow and stem cell donors with patients in need. Ironically -- and tragically -- a match for Mikella was never found. She died of complications related to leukemia in October 2001. The little girl who had inspired so many to register never directly benefited from their generosity. But others have. At least six tissue matches have been established so far from the original 2,000 who signed on for the lifelong commitment as potential donors, Bowe said. But more donors are needed. Now and always. When adults register, a sample of their blood is collected and tested, and the tissue type is added to the national registry. Doctors can search the registry when they need to find a donor whose tissue type matches a patient's. "My goal is not to put me in the limelight, but to put the process in the limelight," Bowe said. "Finding an appropriate match is tough. They never found a match for Mikella." posted by
jokerhill
on Jul 16, 2009 at 01:42 PM
I think this is great to be a match twice is almost impossible. I will be going to San Francisco on july 30th to donate cells myself (not why I am posting here). I want to bring up Mikella the little girl who got me signed up in the first place, I would like to know how many peopole this little girl and her family have helped. My contact person at the Marrow donation center told me there are alot of matches from this area and I just bet it is from her and her family. I know I signed up due to her and her family and I believe so did Mr. Bowe, and I would think a good follow up to this story would be to see how many people have donated and recieved as a result of her short life. I had a chance to meet a few of her family members durring the drives and I think they would like to know as well just how much they truly helped the world. Her photo is up on the wall at the blood bank and I see it and smile everytime I go in. I want to encorage everyone to go out and donate blood and whill they are there get signed up for the bone marrow registry, and smile saying a quiet prayer whill looking at the little faces on the wall knowing you are saving them one pint at a time. Jeff
posted by
sagefever
on Jul 16, 2009 at 12:53 PM
Great story. posted by
smayer
on Jul 16, 2009 at 08:58 AM
Thanks for your comments, everyone. I don't know the odds of being matched to a patient who needs a bone marrow or stem cell transplant, but I understand being matched twice is quite rare. I had to produce this story in a very short window of time, so I was unable to find the definitive answer to the "odds" question. Anyone happen to know? posted by
sys_mom
on Jul 16, 2009 at 08:38 AM
"anyone donating to save lives deserves all the praise we can give them" I wholeheartedly agree. There was an item in yesterday's LA Times that concerned an aspect of organ donation that was news to me. You may find it interesting and slightly perturbing. Organ donors run risk of being denied health insurance posted by
Laurah
on Jul 16, 2009 at 07:47 AM
He's a former neighbor of ours ... great guy ... I'm not surprised he would do this. posted by
catpaw
on Jul 16, 2009 at 07:36 AM
Stem cells....stem cells. Don't people burn in hell for messing with those? posted by
Lingtaowoo
on Jul 16, 2009 at 07:03 AM
Finally...some GOOD news...and a fantastic human being...THANK YOU for this story---really made my day amigo.... posted by
siouxcityranch
on Jul 16, 2009 at 05:49 AM
the mans a *SAINT*..anyone donating to save lives deserves all the praise we can give them..Id be proud to call him 'Friend'
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