While procrastinating on my dissertation, I usually spend a lot of time on reddit looking at cat pictures, earthporn (oh mother nature, you so fine) and browsing for science articles–but mainly aww-ing over cat pictures.
However, today on my front page, I came across a video post of a terminal Leukemia patient posted by his friend. Eric has battled with cancer and beat it 6 times (check out his blog and bucket list here). However, this video is what he has deemed as his final confession.
Now, I’ve been bitching and whining about this dissertation for longer than I’d like to admit (due on Aug 21st!). And being extremely homesick for the last several months (having not spent more than 6 months in any one place since starting this blog almost 2 years ago), sometimes I can be a little down. While social networking sites like Facebook help me stay in touch with friends from home, as well as everyone I’ve been lucky enough to meet abroad, it’s hard to get a constant stream of how everything is changing. Sometimes, it feels like you’re being left behind–missing and not sharing these life changing experiences. Some friends got engaged last year when I was in Africa, and now more will probably start doing the same. People are moving, buying houses, thinking about children and having careers. Being hardly home and celebrating my last two birthdays in the field (23rd in DR-Congo and 24th in Nigera), I still feel 22 and not ready for any large commitments outside of pursuing more research. I wonder if it’ll be hard to relate with everyone when home and vice versa.
This video blog by Eric has put things into perspective on how lucky I am to have my health, great parents and hilarious and supportive friends.One of the items on his bucket list is “Get as many people as I can to sign up on the bone marrow registry.” Looking through the comments on reddit, several people have decided to sign up–myself included once I call them and ask them send me a swab to the UK (I’d rather register in my home country).
I never thought to join before since needles and surgery terrify me but looking at the Donation facts, it is actually a simple procedure with minimal negative health effects and discomforts. Being someone’s match can mean saving someone’s life.
We’re only here for short time, the least we can do is make a difference–even if it’s only one person. So why not start now and look up your country’s bone marrow Donor program and register today.
a thin layer of dirt 