{"id":27539,"date":"2021-10-13T00:34:22","date_gmt":"2021-10-13T00:34:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cmshub.wpengine.com\/?p=357669"},"modified":"2024-11-03T15:14:27","modified_gmt":"2024-11-03T15:14:27","slug":"5-year-old-boy-meets-generous-stem-cell-donor-who-cured-him","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ogkologos.com\/en\/5-year-old-boy-meets-generous-stem-cell-donor-who-cured-him\/","title":{"rendered":"5-Year-Old Boy Meets Generous Stem Cell Donor Who Cured Him"},"content":{"rendered":"

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After Jessica Pepin\u2019s stepfather received a bone marrow donation from a stranger that helped him beat his battle with blood cancer, Pepin was inspired to become a donor herself.<\/span><\/p>\n

After just one month of becoming a donor, she received a call telling her she was a perfect match for a four-year-old boy in Philadelphia who was in need of stem cells!<\/span><\/p>\n

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Photo: YouTube\/Humankind<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The boy, named Nicholas, was born with anemia and had been receiving blood transfusions since he was just six weeks old.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Recently, his parents, with Nicholas in agreement, decided that it was time for him to undergo a stem cell transplant.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Photo: YouTube\/Humankind<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The frequent trips to the hospital were really taking a toll on him, and a stem cell transplant had a 95 percent chance of completely curing him.<\/span><\/p>\n

Nicholas soon received a quarter of a cup of Jessica\u2019s donated cells, and it worked! The now five-year-old no longer has to take monthly trips to the hospital to be poked and prodded by needles.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Photo: YouTube\/Humankind<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Although Jessica was a stranger at the time, the family was so grateful that she helped save their son.<\/span><\/p>\n

The best part is that Nicholas and his family were recently able to meet Jessica via video conference, to thank her \u2018in person\u2019 for her kindness.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Photo: YouTube\/Humankind<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cHow can I begin to thank someone who donated stem cells to cure our then 4-year-old son?\u201d Catherina read from a statement she prepared for Jessica. \u201cA simple thank-you doesn\u2019t seem adequate. It\u2019s hard to describe the life-changing impact your selfless act has had on our son and family.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Thanks to Jessica\u2019s generosity, Nicholas will get to grow up and live a normal life.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Photo: YouTube\/Humankind<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Hopefully Jessica and Nicholas\u2019 story will encourage others to become donors. You never know, you could end up changing someone\u2019s life for the better, too!<\/span><\/p>\n

Watch Jessica and Nicholas meet for the first time in the video below:<\/span><\/p>\n