Counter to the first word in its name, bone marrow is not firm. It’s actually a soft and spongy production house for different types of blood cells. Red cells carry oxygen; white cells fight infection; platelets help clot blood. Hundreds of billions of new blood cells are produced in a person’s bone marrow each day.
Leukemia is a cancer of the blood and bone marrow, where stems cells ready to transform into blood cells begin to grow uncontrollably. Doctor’s first diagnosed Sonoma State alumnus Glen Kueffner with acute lymphocytic leukemia when he was just 22 months old. By the time he was eight years old, he was already a two-time cancer survivor. When he was diagnosed with cancer a third time, doctors informed him he would need a bone marrow transplant. In June 2004, Glen received a bone marrow transplant at the University of Minnesota Medical Center near his hometown of Minneapolis. The transplant was successful – it saved his life and is why he’s alive today.
In December 2021, to raise awareness among SSU students about the life-saving potential of bone marrow transplants Glen’s fraternity, Alpha Epsilon Pi, collected 100 cheek swab kits from campus community members and sent them to the nonprofit bone marrow and blood stem cell registry Gift of Life. Gift of Life facilitates transplants for children and adults suffering from life-threatening illnesses, including leukemia. Each of the swab kits sent by Alpha Epsilon Pi contains data and DNA that will be entered into the worldwide bone marrow and blood cell registry to be compiled for patients seeking a matching donor. To date, there are nearly 40 million samples in the worldwide registry.
Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternities across the globe have partnered with Gift of Life, but Joshua Rodrigues-Lahann, SSU’s chapter president, knew that SSU’s involvement was especially meaningful. A bone marrow transplant had saved the life of his fraternity brother, a bond they would share forever.
“Glen is one of my best friends. It’s hard to put into words,” Josh said. “If by swabbing my cheek I can potentially save someone’s life in the future, it’s a no-brainer.”
