In recognition of Bone Marrow Month, I felt it would be appropriate to share my friend’s story about his battle with leukemia. He’s a strapping young man and was diagnosed with leukemia at the age of 25, just two years ago.

When I first heard about this, I went straight to the internet to learn more about the different kinds of leukemia and to understand the prognosis. So much literature can be found on leukemia in children but not so much in adults. (I also went to a meeting when DMU Alumni Director Ronnette Vondrak talked about her experiences with leukemia. Bless her heart.)

It was petrifying to be so blinded by cancer and not knowing what it really means. My friends have set up this website to share Matt’s story because he desperately needs a matching bone marrow donor.

He’s all the way in California and I’m out here in Iowa feeling quiet helpless at this point. I thought the best thing I can do is to share his story with you in hopes of raising awareness of how desperately folks like Matt need bone marrow donors.

Please check out his website http://www.teammatthew.org and the National Bone Marrow Program to learn more about how you can help. And of course his support network is on Facebook.

Posted in Current Students, Life in Des Moines, Student Bloggers, Student Life

About the author - Tea Nguyen

Tea Nguyen is a dual degree D.P.M./M.P.H. student at DMU. She was born in Utah but raised in California and left the great state to be at one of the best podiatry school in the country.

She has aspirations in international medical service trips and hopes to hit several continents during this lifetime. Traveling is also on the top of her to-do list and she often reminisces about her prior travels to Italy, France and Greece. She also enjoys eating adventures with her boyfriend Paul and is a major food-snacker. It is not uncommon to find her lapsed in a food coma in the middle of her studies.