Meet Ellie Greene, a young woman who became a bone marrow donor after learning about the plight of a child in need.
Ellie joined the “Be the Match” national marrow donor program as an undergrad at Wofford College in Spartanburg SC. Seven years later, she was notified that she matched to potentially save the life of a stranger.
“In January I found out I was a bone marrow match to a stranger.” Ellie shared. “It wasn’t an immediate yes, but it’s something I knew in my heart I was going to do and I’m so glad I did.”
Despite her busy schedule as a student affairs coordinator at VCOM-Carolinas, Ellie felt a strong calling to help this child in need.
The donation process was not without its challenges. Traveling from Spartanburg, SC to Cincinnati, OH, Ellie endured a surgical procedure to extract the bone marrow. Despite the physical and emotional toll of the process, Ellie persevered and remained focused on her goal of helping the child.
“With each day that passed, I learned to listen to my body. With each day I got stronger. Each day I think about my new little buddy and hope that he’s improving too.”
Ellie hopes that her act of kindness not only saved the child's life but will inspire others in the SWAGĘÓƵcommunity to consider becoming a donor themselves.
“If you’ve ever considered joining Be the Match, do it. And if you’ve never heard of Be the Match but want to know more, look in to it. You may be what someone needs to potentially save their life. If you are, it won’t be easy, but it’ll be worth it.”
