2015 BMT Reunion

“Superheroes,” “grateful” and “lifesavers”: All are words patients have used to describe their bone marrow donors. For donors, "a great feeling" and "the right thing to do" seems to sum up their view of donating the stem cells used to save someone's life.

Bone marrow transplants offer a second chance at life for people with life-threatening blood cancers and other hematologic malignancies. City of Hope performed its first bone marrow transplant in 1976. Since then, thousands of patients from virtually every state and dozens of countries have undergone bone marrow, cord blood or stem cell transplants at City of Hope. But many recipients, though overwhelmed with curiosity and the need to express their gratitude, can only dream of meeting the strangers who helped them defeat their disease.

Each year, City of Hope makes that dream come true for two patients at the annual Bone Marrow Transplant Reunion. At the 39th annual Bone Marrow Transplant Reunion, two more patients and their families met the donors who saved them.

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