Silver Linings, Mighty Marrow, and My Sister's Wish
When my sister got sick, she was just entering middle school. It was so upsetting to see her miss this transition that she had been looking forward to. In the weeks leading up to Marissa’s diagnosis, it was terrifying for our family, to be so unsure of what the future was going to hold. It was incredibly hard to see my younger sister go through something so difficult.
The list of potential diagnoses was extensive, and some were particularly serious. Doctors found that she had Aplastic Anemia, a rare condition in which your body stops producing enough new blood cells due to bone marrow damage. Within a month of her diagnosis, she moved in and began treatment at Columbia Presbyterian. It all happened so fast, but throughout it all she remained strong. Her strength and resilience was and is something that I admired.
The day she was diagnosed with Aplastic Anemia was the same day we found out that I was a perfect match to be her donor. In that moment, I remember feeling such a sense of relief. We knew that the road ahead would be tough, but the silver lining was that there was a treatment with great outcomes.
Being able to donate bone marrow is the most rewarding thing I have ever done. It truly was a miracle that I was a perfect match, and I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to give Marissa my “Mighty Marrow” and have a part in saving my sister’s life.
We called the day that I donated her 1st birthday - it was a second chance for her. We even celebrated with party hats! Now each year, we celebrate another year post-donation, and this year we celebrated her 4th birthday!
There are so many things that Marissa had to miss out on that year - beginning middle school, soccer season and hanging out with her friends, to just name a few. For kids battling critical illnesses, a piece of their childhood is taken away from them. My sister was faced with long hospital stays, blood transfusions, bone marrow biopsies and so much more. Being just 10 years old at the time, this was incredibly scary for her. Throughout it all, her wish remained a constant source of joy. It signified hope for the future, and was something that she always looked forward to.
Marissa’s wish to visit Hawaii was granted in 2018 and it was so much more than a trip for our family. It was the culmination of about 2 years of treatment, and finally Marissa was doing better. Marissa’s wish was her light at the end of a tunnel, and was a huge part of her recovery.
Throughout her treatment, a countdown to her wish was always on a whiteboard in her room. After so much anticipation, to finally be on her wish was simply amazing. It signified that Marissa had completed her treatment and was on the road to being fully recovered. The entire week was a chance to celebrate that Marissa had conquered Aplastic Anemia.
Marissa’s wish left a lasting impressing on our entire family, and we all do what we can to help make more wishes like hers come true. During my freshman year at SUNY Binghamton, I joined the Make-A-Wish club on campus as a way to give back to an organization that gave my family so much.
After being a member for a year, it was my favorite thing that I was involved with at school and I decided to run for their Executive Board. This upcoming year, I plan to run for president!
I chose to get involved, because I truly hope that one day every child that qualifies for a wish will get one. I would love to see a day where the gap is mended between kids that qualify for wishes and kids that are granted wishes.
We coordinate with the local Make A Wish chapter, Make-A-Wish Central New York, and organize fundraisers alongside them. This month, we are participating in the Wish Heroes campaign, and have set up a variety of smaller fundraisers during the entire month. Some of these include bingo boards on social media, raffles and virtual 5K. Last semester we participated in the Week for Wishes, where we did a pie-in-the-face fundraiser and trivia night. We ended up raising $5,933 for the week!!
When there are not specific campaigns that Make-A-Wish Central New York is hosting, we have a few staple fundraisers that we hold each year. Our biggest and most exciting is Letters to Santathon, as part of the Macy’s Believe campaign. Around the holidays, we host our event where we write as many letters as we possibly can. A variety of other organizations on campus get involved, and it is always such a great day. During my freshman year, we raised $66,000 during the event and broke our own record!
Wishmakers on Campus is truly my favorite thing that I am a part of. It is so rewarding to know that I am helping to facilitate wishes for more kids. I have seen firsthand the power of a wish, and love to help more kids experience it!
Granting a wish is so much more than the wish itself. For my sister, her wish was her motivation and hope for better times ahead. Nowadays, my family is enjoying those better days and appreciating the normalcy that our life has returned to. Marissa is playing volleyball and just got her braces off! We never realized how exciting normal could be!