Gong Chin Nam
I signed up for the Bone Marrow Donor Programme during a promotion drive held at my church sometime in 2018. We were briefed on what the process entailed and how our donation could help patients. A mouth swap was taken during the promotion for the donor list.
A few months later, I was informed that I was a perfect match for a young patient.BMDP arranged a complete medical checkup including blood tests and X- Rays to gauge my suitability as a donor. he test and consultations were all scheduled at my convenience.
Having determined that I was a suitable donor, I underwent the procedure in April 2019. The bone marrow was extracted from my pelvic bone under general anaesthesia.The procedure took a day and was again scheduled at my convenience. There was very little discomfort and hardly any pain. I resumed normal activities the following day.
In October 2019, I was informed that the patient required a lymphocyte infusion. Another round of medical checkup and tests were arranged at my convenience to gauge my suitability. This infusion process took about 4 hours and I was discharged on the same day.
Overall, the entire process went very smoothly and was scheduled at my convenience.A coordinator was assigned by BMDP to guide me throughout the process. I look back in satisfaction knowing that my contribution has helped a young person to live a healthy and normal life.