If you had the chance to save a life, would you? A few years ago, Danielle Rondinelli came across a social media post about becoming a bone marrow donor and felt led to respond.
鈥淲hen I was 18 I signed up for the registry. I didn鈥檛 think anything would necessarily come of it. Then about a year after I joined the registry I got an email saying I had been matched to a potential donor,鈥� said Rondinelli, a marketing major and supply chain minor in the College of Business at 91福利社.
Coming to Anderson
When Rondinelli first visited Anderson, traveling from her hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina, she felt a peace in her heart.
鈥淚t was truly a God thing, because He put the right people in the right place.鈥�
Rondinelli has been serving in Anderson鈥檚 SGA (Student Government Association) as secretary for diversity and inclusion. She feels her work at SGA has been a blessing as she serves students and is gratified by the professional skills she uses daily.
Becoming a Donor
Rondinelli approaches things with a servant鈥檚 heart. So when she found out she was a match for a potential donor, she went through the steps toward the donation process. Individuals with various types of bone and blood cancers face an untreatable illness, so bone marrow transplants give them the gift of time.
Rondinelli submitted her DNA sample to the bone marrow registry, run by a nonprofit organization, followed by lab work and several doctor visits. In early March, when it was time to donate, she flew to Chicago to the facility where the procedure was performed.
What used to be a relatively painful, invasive procedure has improved over the years. Still, the process for Rondinelli to prepare for her donation was a lengthy one.
鈥淚 received injections of a medication over several days that encourages the stem cells to move from the bones where they usually are into the bloodstream,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hat way they can collect all of the stem cells. It took a while. My donation time was from about 11 in the morning until about five in the evening.鈥�
walked Rondinelli through the process every step of the way.
鈥淚t鈥檚 honestly fantastic,鈥� she said. 鈥淢y dad was able to come with me. We didn鈥檛 have to pay for anything; the organization takes care of everything financially.鈥�
As she was going through the donation itself, Rondinelli鈥檚 thoughts focused not on what she was going through, but rather on who she was helping. She thought about her donation as a way to show Christ鈥檚 love toward another person.
鈥淲hen you鈥檙e sitting there and you鈥檙e looking at this machine鈥� I was looking at the bag of my cells. It鈥檚 just kind of a moment where that pain, it just doesn鈥檛 become important anymore, because you鈥檙e able to see what a blessing it is that you鈥檙e able to do something,鈥� she said.
Rondinelli is currently off campus completing a co-op at BMW Manufacturing Company鈥檚 Plant Spartanburg, where she assists the training department in coordinating approximately 120 co-ops and interns. She appreciates the opportunity to take time off for this lifesaving procedure and looks forward to connecting with the recipient of her cells.
鈥淲e have to have anonymous contact for about a year,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檓 really looking forward to being able to just communicate with that person and say 鈥業 know that I don鈥檛 know you, but I鈥檓 fighting for you, I鈥檓 here for you, I鈥檓 in your corner,鈥� and just letting people know they鈥檙e supported, even if they don鈥檛 know by who. It鈥檚 honestly the best feeling.鈥�