Dear friends, manager of the Ana Rukavina Foundation and Ana’s mother, Mrs. Marija Rukavina received a beautiful, touching letter from a stem cell donor, this morning via email.
Donor who contacted her, donated stem cells in July this year and so someone has provided a new opportunity for life.
As this emotional letter touched her dearly, we asked for his permission to publish it in order to inspire you to join the Croatian Bone Marrow Donor Registry and maybe one day get a chance to do this noble act!
Out of respect for the person who has received his stem cells, we agreed with his suggestion that it is best to remain anonymous for the time being, and we leave you to enjoy the touching words and the emotional experience of this noble man.
Ms. Rukavina said she felt happiness, gratitude and pride after reading this letter, and we believe you too will not remain indifferent.
“Dear Mrs. Marija, let me tell you something, this morning my heart leapt when I was reading “your ” blog and read the news that during the July 63 transplant was performed by the Croatian Registry.
The news would be beautiful in itself, but it was even more significant because it was I, that 63rd donor. A strange it feels, but in any case very nice.
All this would not be possible if it was not your Ana and all of you who have run foundation and gave the Registry a much-needed incentive. I was deeply moved by Ana’s story and when your Foundation came to my town in March 2008 and organized an action to join the Croatian Bone Marrow Donor Registry, I did not hesitate, I wanted to do it for Ana, although I have not had a chance to personally meet her, her energy and zest for life inspired me to do it.
After eight years I received a call from University Hospital Centre Zagreb and when they told me that I just could be an ideal donor for a patient, again, I was not in a doubt – I agreed with joy, I wanted to do whatever it takes to try and save a life.
Basically, the whole process went very well, July 26, we successfully perform leukopheresis and collected more than sufficient number of stem cells.
Why do I write? Not to brag, but to thank you. For me, the past two months was extremely emotional and the whole process, from the first call through the whole process of giving, and to this day, was in some way, the way of healing, the time that I started to think more about the life, times in which I was able to get rid of some misconceptions and accept many things in a whole new way.”