Chris Goodman said its one of the most rewarding things hes ever done.

His stem cells reside inthe blood of a woman hes never met.

Goodman, a junior at Western Kentucky University, is working with a drive sponsored byWKU Greek Life and WKU student-athletesto register people for potential bone marrow donations. Donated stem cells, which are extracted from bone marrow, can be used to help people recover from serious illnesses.

The drive is April 20-22 at Raymond B. Preston Health and Activities Center. The hours are from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.April 20 and 21 and from 10 a.m.to 7 p.m.April 22 in the Blue Court. Goodman will be working at the drive April 21, he said.

Goodman, 20, is from Knoxville, Tenn., and is a backstroke swimmer for WKU. Hes studying speech pathology and communications disorders and wants someday to work with kids who have speech difficulties.

A five-minute swab of your cheek could help save a life, Goodman said.

Goodman received a short note from the woman who was helped by his donation.

The letter I received from my patient was one which was very short in length but nonetheless very impactful, he said in an email. She and her family were very grateful that a complete stranger would give so much to someone they dont know.

His journey to becoming a bone marrow donator began when he registered withDelete Blood Cancer DKMSas a potential donor in April 2013. In October, Delete Blood Cancer sent him to Washington, D.C., and he donated stem cells during a five-day process.

He watched movies while sitting in his hospital bed as the procedure occurred. Having never even given a blood donation before, Goodman said the process did leave him a bit weak, although he participated in a swim meet for WKU within a week following the procedure, he said.

More here:
WKU plans bone marrow registry drive

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