My BF has CANCER, what do I do?! ?

Question

Sorry for that rather loud question title. Seems like people don't really answer a question unless the title is "interesting".

So the thing is, my BF was diagnosed with a certain type of leukemia, a rare one, APL. He needs blood platelets, and the only type of people who can give him platelets are the people who match these six proteins EXACTLY. Well, his brother tested negative, his parents tested negative. If he doesn't get those platelets, it's guaranteed that he'll die. So my parents had let me get tested last week (they thought it'd be useless anyways). I got the results today. And I'm a perfect match. I can give him anything, from platelets, to bone marrow, to my own kidney. How strange is that, right? Anyways, I want to give him platelets, but my parents are really scared about it. What should I do to convince them? They're not exactly forbidding me to do it, they're just skeptic. I want to save his life. But my parents are scared of that gigantic needle that they're going to use to withdraw the marrow. I'm not scared of it, really I'm not. We've been going out since we were thirteen. We're sixteen now. He's the sweetest guy alive. I really don't want him to die. So can you help me with ways I can convince my parents that I'll be fine with withdrawing marrow for him?

Answer 1

Do a lot of research on the subject and show it to your parents tell them the risks of you doing this and what it all is. Make sure they are very very well informed and then tell them what happens if you don't do it. Tell them what will happen to him. Whatever you do. Don't give up. Make sure your parents know that you want to do this. Whether it be out of love for him or because you have the chance to save his life. Don't give up. Your boyfriends life could depend on it. Who can say if they will find another person to save him. Do everything you can to comfort them about the procedure. Have them bring you into somebody to explain everything to them and that you will be fine. The more informed they are the better. Sit them down and show them the medical sites you find on Google about the procedure. The best thing is the get them to talk to a doctor about it face to face.

GOODLUCK!

Answer 2

First, you are a minor.  By law you can only donate stem cells to a related patient.  Your bf in most circumstances does not qualify as a related patient.  You cant donate stem cells or marrow to him.  Next, most stem cell donations are harvest peripherally by aphersis, not actual marrow through the hip.

Beyond that...  you dont know what you are talking about.  You arent talking about platelets, you are talking about peripheral blood stem cells.  Two very very different things.  Platelets are a type of blood cell that helps blood clot.  And yes, most leukemia patients do need a lot of platelets, but they do not have to be matched that closely.  In fact, Im not sure I ever received my own type of platelets.  Platelets are type and cross matched.

Stem cells, are the ones that need to be matched exactly.  This is what you are calling platelets, but arent platelets.  Peripheral blood stem cells are a type of white blood cell that are hemotopoetic stem cells.  They can become any type of blood cell.  They are matched according to the HLA (human leukocyte antigen) tissue type.  It is a form of dna testing, but also matches the antigens.  And the donor does need to be a perfect 6/6 or 10/10 match.  This would be whats called an allogenic stem cell transplant.  Allogenic means from a donor.

I dont know the ins and outs of apl, but it may be possible to use his own stem cells.

Answer 3

Tell your parents that you really care for him and that you really want to help him and don't want him to die and stuff like that then maybe they'll let you, if not, then i don't know what to tell you.

Answer 4

Well you don't exactly have to convince your parents because they're not forbidding you.

Just save your breath and go for it. Do what it takes to save your boyfriend's life, and he will love you and be thankful, for eternity.

Answer 5

I'm So Sorry to hear that do whatever you can to help.

God Bless

Answer 6

just tell your parents that you really want to.

and im really sorry i hope he is okay

Answer 7

Ask them this simple question:

If it was me with leukemia wouldn't you want him to save me?

Done.

Answer 8

If you care about him that much do it. i think thats really nice of you too. and you two can always share this too

Answer 9

God bless you and your boyfriend. It's your choice no matter what, but I would do it in a heart beat. If I could have done anything to save my dads life, I would have done in a second. But you choose. But think, would your boyfriend do it for you?