Tom Peterson, pictured with Marie Jerome,
donor center coordinator, CBCSF,
is
enjoying life one day at a time.
|
Tom Peterson, second from right, along with
his mother and sisters, met
his marrow donor,
Doug Mellichamp, third from right, one year
after
his transplant.
|
Tom Peterson
Tom Peterson received his diagnosis of acute lymphoblastic
leukemia (ALL) in mid-1999 and further tests revealed that Tom would need
treatment right away. Tom endured several rounds of chemotherapy and for
a while his leukemia went into remission. However, when Tom's illness worsened,
doctors told him his best odds for survival would be a bone marrow transplant.
All of Tom's five siblings were tested, and although some of them matched
each other, none matched Tom. His doctors then turned to the National Marrow
Donor Registry in search of a stranger who might be able to save Tom's life.
Just five months after his diagnosis, Tom received the call
he had been waiting for: a perfect marrow match had been found. On October
5, 1999, Tom underwent a bone marrow transplant at Shands Hospital in Gainesville.
A stranger had given him a second chance at life.
Tom had corresponded with his donor for a year through NMDP
intermediaries, and then in October 2000 he was finally able to meet the
man who saved his life -- Doug Mellichamp, a marine biologist from South
Carolina. Doug, now 35, and Tom met a special event at Cordis in Miami Lakes.
Years earlier, Doug had been driving past his high school one day and saw
a sign for a bone marrow drive. It seemed like a good thing to do, so he
signed up. Several years later, he received a call asking him to donate his
marrow, not knowing it was for Tom Peterson.
Tom and Doug received a standing ovation during that first
emotional meeting, and Tom's mother and sisters were on hand to personally
thank Doug for donating his marrow so Tom could live. Doug maintains that
it was "no big deal" and would do it again if needed.
Since that meeting the two have become as close as brothers.
Tom visited Doug and his family in South Carolina this past September and
Doug is scheduled to make a trip to South Florida around Christmas time.
Tom enjoys living life "one day at a time" and currently
serves on the Patient Services Committee for the National Marrow Donor Program.
On beating the odds, Tom says he owes it all to Doug, a
lot of prayers, family and friends, and maintaining a positive attitude. "I
am forever grateful." |
