Meet Carter...Our Little Warrior

Michele Guest Blogs

Hello All!
My name is Michele, and I am relatively new to the Donor Recruitment team.
So far I have LOVED the several months that I have been at DKMS. DKMS is such a uniquely special organization. In fact, it would be very hard for someone NOT to be energized by its cause and ultimate goal: to get as many people as possible on the National Registry, and in doing so, increasing the chance that as many patients as possible can find their life-saving matches. Every person at DKMS works towards that noble goal in their own way.

(thats me Michele)
One of the real highlights of working here, and perhaps my favorite part, is that we get to interact and correspond with truly special people on a daily basis. Donors in general are extraordinarily special people. They each want to contribute to society in this very powerful way and they all want the opportunity to save a life. Donors are virtually selfless.
Meeting and getting to know patients is extremely rewarding and fulfilling as well! Adults and children, who have suffered and continue to suffer with leukemia and different blood diseases and cancers, are determined fighters! The human spirit is remarkably resilient, and our potentially limitless capacity for resiliency is evident in so many stories and in so many patients that DKMS gets to know. One such patient that DKMS is looking forward to meeting is Carter Brotherton.

When little Carter was 1 years old he was diagnosed with a rare blood disorder called I-Cell disease. This is a genetic lysosomal storage disease. In order for cells to go through a proper recycling/disposal process, specific enzymes are needed. Those who are afflicted with this disorder lack these crucial enzymes. Thus, the absence of these enzymes inhibits and interferes with the normal waste recycling process. The consequence is that a surplus of these wastes develops and gets stored in essentially every cell in the body. This causes substantial damage and interferes with proper functioning.
When Carter was 19 months old, he received a Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT). The BMT has thus far been successful, though every day brings with it more and different challenges for Carter. Carter, together with his phenomenal parents, have waged a war on this disease. They greet each day with strength, courage and fortitude. In fact, Carter's dad started a website www.meetcarter.org which tells Carter's story and serves as a source of inspiration to many. This brings us to why I originally contacted Carter's father! Numerous people were writing to DKMS so that they could register to be life-saving donors in honor of little Carter! I instantly knew that for one little boy to make such an impression on many, he must be very special. One glance at his picture, and at that disarming smile of his, and it was obvious.

(Carter post BMT)
We have some exciting news: DKMS is working with Mr. Brotherton to hold a donor drive! This drive will be at the Heather Ridge Country Club in Aurora, Colorado. It will be at the Premier Ventures Golf Tournament on June 23, 2008. We will be registering donors in honor of Carter. Please e-mail/contact us for details, or if you would like to have registration kits sent to your home!
DKMS wishes Carter strength, endurance and only good reports in the future.
As for me, I continue to love working for DKMS, and I look forward to meeting more people like Carter's family, and to more opportunites to add people to the National Registry. I would encourage everyone to get registered. Registration involves minimal paper work and a cheek swab. You can have the extraordinary opportunity to be someone's life-saver. Life is tough...but we are tougher...