Hollings Horizons Winter/Spring 2026 - Magazine - Page 16
BONE
MARROW
GUY
After signing up thousands of
donors, ‘bone marrow guy’ gets to
make his own donation
U.S. Army Spc. Christian Sutton has an official title. But his customized
jacket says it all – he’s the bone marrow guy.
Sutton is working to establish an infrastructure to encourage soldiers
to register to become potential stem cell donors – to donate cells to
someone with a blood cancer or disorder, like leukemia, sickle cell
disease or aplastic anemia, and change that person’s life forever.
Recently, he got to be the one making that life-changing donation.
“I lost my mind,” he said, recalling the moment when he got the call to
say that he’d been identified as a match. “It’s really significant for me,
being able to donate and save a life, especially while doing that as part
of my job – being able to walk the walk.”
Even more significant – Sutton made his donation at MUSC Health, the
same hospital where his mother died of Hodgkin lymphoma in 2004
after she was unable to find a matching donor.
The blood and marrow team works closely with patients throughout the
transplant process, from finding a matching donor to coordinating posttransplant care. That's one reason MUSC is one of only 12 transplant
centers across the U.S. with a better-than-expected survival rate.
How to become a stem cell donor
14
•
Register at NMDP.org (civilians) or SaluteToLife.org (DOD
members & dependents).
•
Send in a cheek swab.
•
Wait to see if you are a match.
•
If you are a match, donate at a member hospital in a procedure
similar to blood donation.
•
NMDP will cover the cost of transportation, lodging, meals, child
care and pet care so that you can donate worry-free.
Hollings Horizons Winter/Spring 2026
