2 1/2 years post transplant, Grant meets his donor
 

It's been a very long time since I've posted here but thought I'd share our exciting moment with the Marrowforums family...

Grant was transplanted on 9/11/08, again on 10/23/08 and received a boost on 8/11/09 to finally be free of Aplastic Anemia. It was a long, long, arduous journey.

In January of this year, we were contacted by DKMS, the German Bone Marrow Registry. They asked whether we were interested in coming to Berlin to meet Grant's donor whom we only knew as "Mrs. X" or "Isi". Our meeting would be spotlighted as part of the DKMS 20th Anniversary Celebration. Of course we jumped at this once in a lifetime chance to meet the woman who saved Grant's life. Oh, and one more thing... it was going to be a surprise for her!

Please share the moment with us by watching the news broadcast below. You may not be able to understand the dialogue but I'm sure you will understand the emotion.

Wendy Beltrami
mom to Grant/ age 19.5
dx 12/4/98 AA
ATGx2 plus a zillion other types of treatment
BMT 9/11/08
PBSCT 10/23/08 (same donor!)
Boost 8/11/09

http://www.frauenzimmer.de/cms/html/...sretterin.html

What a wonderful wonderful piece, thank you for sharing. That was absolutely incredible. As Grants mom, you must of sobbed when you hugged her. I know I would of.

Glad you posted this here Wendy. What an emotionally charged meeting. Grant has been through so much and at such young age. He's amazing and you have been his "rock" through all of this.

So....what are you doing with all your free time now :) ?

So touching!
 

Congrats! What a great story, and I wish Grant a long, happy life! The best is yet to come!

wonderful, powerful video

How fantastic!! Thank you so much for sharing the video - I really hope that some day I can thank my donor in person, too. Glad to hear Grant's still doing well, too!

Your face in the video says it all, Wendy! Wasn't it just the most amazing experience to meet the person who saved Grant's life? What a wonderful opportunity for all of you to go to Germany to meet Petra after the long, hard Stupid Aplastic Anemia journey you've been on. Congratulations and best wishes to Grant and all the Betramis.

Regards,
Ruth

Having gotten to know Wendy on the old listserv and shared many stressful moments (Grant and Ken both had their second ATGs about the same time), I have followed Grant's BMT journey with a mixture of trepidation and hope. The failure to find a better than 9/10 match, the initial graft rejection and subsequent SS boosts, the ups and downs and all the miracles Dr. Margolis pulled out of his hat.... what a ride it's been!

So it's absolutely fantastic to see this video. Even though I don't speak German, I can't watch it without the waterworks starting up again. Petra is a gem!