SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif. — Dr. Ketan Bakriwala, an optometrist for Sharp Rees Stealy Medical Group, was browsing the internet one day when an ad popped up for Be The Match and it peaked his curiosity.
“So, I clicked on the link, filled out the information, and they mailed me a cheek swab,” said Dr. Bakriwala.
When he received the cheek swab kit in the mail, it was very easy to use.
“It’s just a cotton tip applicator,” said Dr. Bakriwala. “You just flush it around your mouth and put it back in the package.”
He sent it in through the mail, and a couple weeks later, he received a phone call.
“They said, ‘you’re a perfect match for someone who's in desperate need of a bone marrow transplant,’” said Dr. Bakriwala.
And that someone was a 10-year-old boy named Rushi, who lived in Texas and had a rare blood disease called beta thalassemia. He had been waiting for a bone marrow donor for his entire life.
Dr. Bakriwala agreed to do it, and three months later, he was ready to donate.
“They put me under anesthesia, and they put two needles into my hips to draw out the bone marrow that they needed, and I stayed in the hospital overnight,” said Dr. Bakriwala. “When you’re a healthy person, your body will regrow that bone marrow that was taken out, so within a day, my body replenished its supply. I had a sore back for a few days afterwards but nothing too bad.”
Be The Match kept things anonymous at first, but after a year went by, they put Dr. Bakriwala in touch with Rushi’s mother.
“We talked for a while that day on the phone about how much her son’s life has changed and how much the whole family’s life has changed,” said Dr. Bakriwala. “So he went from someone that couldn’t make any red blood cells and needed a transfusion every 3-4 weeks to someone who grows his own supply of blood cells, and has a strong immune system.”
They arranged a meeting in Houston where their two families could come together.
“It was a wonderful experience to actually meet the family I was able to help,” said Dr. Bakriwala.
Meeting Rushi and his family in person brought everything full circle for Dr. Bakriwala. He encourages anyone to be a bone marrow donor.
“It’s absolutely worth it,” said Dr. Bakriwala. “If you can do something so simple to help someone in need, please do because we all deserve a chance like this.”
Anyone between the ages of 18-40 years old can join the registry by texting Rushi (not case sensitive) to 61474 or by visiting join.bethematch.org, and they will mail you a cheek swab kit to see if you’re a match for someone in need.
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