In January of 2018, my best friend went to the hospital for a persistent nosebleed. After a battery of tests, Rayce was diagnosed with aplastic anemia — a disease that destroys bone marrow and leaves a person without an immune system. Doctors said that what he needed was a bone marrow transplant. I didn’t understand what any of this meant. How does something as small as a nosebleed become life-threatening? I took my questions to Google where I came across Be the Match. Rayce, unlike 70% of people who need a bone marrow transplant, had a match in his family, meaning his sister could donate to him.
Rayce and his sisters, Dawson and Kailey
After two failed transplants from his sister and no other matches in his family, Rayce’s life was in the hands of a selfless stranger. He played the waiting game with Be the Match hoping someone out there would be his cure. On the slim chance that I could help my friend, I signed up. And let me tell you — Be the Match makes registering to save a life the easiest process possible. I filled out the online form, swabbed my cheek with the kit they mailed me, and officially became a potential donor.
Rayce and the author, Jessa Stecker
During this time, Rayce was still looking for a match and I was still looking for answers. I started to learn the realities of people around the world. Every three minutes, someone gets diagnosed with a form of blood cancer. I learned that thousands of people spend years in and out of hospitals waiting for their match. I learned more about the process of donating, preparing myself in case I was matched. Turns out, it is similar to donating plasma, unlike the common painful stereotypes of bone marrow donation on TV. One in 430 (8%) of people on the registry will actually go on to donate. I was ready and willing to help save a life.
Rayce and his mom, Jess
Rayce found a match, a stranger halfway across the world who gave him a fighting chance. Despite finding a donor, Rayce’s body wasn’t strong enough to fight an infection and on June 14th, 2018, Rayce passed away. Rayce was a person who was full of love and life, was kind and compassionate, and he would have done anything to help anybody. It is my goal to continue his legacy by advocating for Be the Match and all those waiting for their donors. It’s simple: sign up, make a difference and be the match.
Rayce Xavier Raschka