Deiondre Wilson (24C) distinguished himself in track and field and football while attending Berry, but those accomplishments pale in significance to the decision he made as a sophomore to join the national bone marrow registry.
The swab of his cheek took only a few minutes in Krannert Center. The wait to see if he might be chosen lasted a bit longer.
In fall 2024, the recent grad learned that he had matched with a 24-year-old leukemia patient. Two months later, in December, he made the short drive from his home in Clarksville, Tennessee, to Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville for the procedure. Support was provided by the National Marrow Donor Program (formerly Be the Match), with his proud but worried mother on hand to keep a watchful eye on her son.
“It’s the first time I’d ever been under for anything, the first surgery I’ve ever had,” Deiondre related, recalling the mix of nervousness and excitement he felt beforehand.
He awoke sore and low on iron, with two small holes just above the iliac crest in his lower back where approximately one-half gallon of marrow had been extracted. Full recovery took almost two months, yet he proudly declared, “I wouldn’t change it for the world!”
If all goes well, he’ll learn the identity of his recipient later this year. Already, he’s received a letter from her family thanking him for the donation. In the meantime, he hopes others will follow his lead.
“It’s a great experience and a great opportunity,” he proclaimed. “It’s such a simple thing that can literally change someone’s life.”
Visit nmdp.org for more information.
