Mitchell Stokey
Mitchell Stokey is a graduate student at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA. He donated his stem cells to an anonymous recipient thanks to a nudge from his college football coach.
Think of it like this, you have an opportunity to save someone’s life.
Mitchell Stokey Stem Cell Donor
How a Carnegie Mellon University Football Player became a Hoxworth Blood Center lifesaver
While playing football at Carnegie Mellon University, Mitchell Stokey and his teammates were encouraged to become involved with Be the Match, now known as National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP). NMDP helps those dealing with blood cancers through cell therapies like stem cell transplant.
Each of the players on the Tartans football team swabbed their cheeks and sent that off to NMDP. Those swabs then get tested to see if the potential donors are a match for anyone in the NMDP database. For Mitchell Stokey and a few of his teammates, they were the match a patient needed to help save their lives.
Who is Eligible to Donate Stem Cells?
To register with NMDP, you must meet the following guidelines:
- Between the ages of 18 and 40
- A resident of the U.S., its territories, or freely associated states
- Able to meet their health guidelines
- Not already registered through another U.S. stem cell match organization
Mitchell Matches with Someone in Need
More than a year after sending his swab in the mail, Mitchell got a call from NMDP telling him he was a match for an anonymous recipient. They explained the next steps in the stem cell donation process – an experience Mitchell admits he had mostly forgotten about at this point. Mitchell says he was hesitant at first because he hadn’t thought about this opportunity in a while. After consulting with his parents, they all agreed he should move forward with the next steps and help someone in need.
Mitchell, originally from New Philadelphia, Ohio, spent his summer at an internship in Michigan. NMDP organized his pre-donation tests and travel to bring him to Hoxworth Blood Center in Cincinnati, Ohio.
“Everyone at Hoxworth and [NMDP] has been great! We’ve just been chatting all day and they really took care of me!”
While the process is long, sometimes taking six to eight hours in total, Mitchell says as a healthy, young man, it’s a small thing to do to help someone who needs it.
“It means the world to those people that actually find out that they’re getting a match and then that person goes through with it. I wouldn’t change my mind”
Did You Know?
At Hoxworth Blood Center, the Apheresis Team and Cellular Therapies departments work with local donors and patients through stem cell transplants and bone marrow transplants. Both departments also work with the National Marrow Donor Program and Gift of Life Donor Program to help patients around the world.
2024 Hoxworth Impact:
- 10 bone marrow products processed and shipped to patients globally through the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP)
- 65 bone marrow products processed and delivered to patients locally for transplants.
- 350 stem cell products collected at Hoxworth for local patients
- 100 stem cell products collected for patients around the world for the NMDP and Gift of Life Donor Program
It Only Takes a Swab to Save a Life
In the future, Mitchell’s recipient will have the opportunity to reach out to Mitchell if they want to meet or connect with their donor. Mitchell says he looks forward to the chance to meet the person he might have helped.
“It’s a cool story to tell. Even the opportunity to be able to meet that person one day and just hug them.”
Similar to the story we shared about Emily Sikora, you too can be a lifeline for someone in need. You can follow this link to learn more about NMDP and the process to find a match.