Giving the gift of life

CWO3 Majorie Bower is a supply officer with Naval Special Warfare Group Two, Logistics and Support Unit Two, who has served more than 26 years in the Navy. She is also a cancer patient.

"I first was diagnosed with Hodgkin Lymphoma in October 1993," she said. "After under going chemotherapy treatment, I went into remission for approximately three years and then I had a relapse in July 1997.

During the second occurrence, I received high dose of radiation and chemotherapy to which I responded and went back into remission for another eight years until I relapsed again in October of last year."

After Bower's third relapse, she was sent to Walter Reed Army Medical Center for a stem cell transplant, was discharged Dec. 31, 2005 and then went into remission once again. On Oct. 9, 2006, Bower discovered that she had relapsed once again and must now have a bone marrow transplant.

Fellow supply officer, CWO3 Ray Peterson contacted fellow shipmate PCC John Lampkin, who both worked with Bower aboard USS Eisenhower (CVN 69).

"I called him to get together and see what we could do for Bower," said Peterson. "Then chief got in contact with the bone marrow center and they sent us the materials to set up the donor drive."

Lt. Cmdr. Michael Lehman, medical director of the lab for Naval Hospital Jacksonville, assisted the effort to collect swab samples from volunteers to send to the Department of Defense Bone Marrow Center in Washington, D.C.

"The first thing we look for is a match. Siblings, who you have a 25 percent chance of matching up to, are the best candidates. However, many don't find a match so they need to go elsewhere. That's where the bone marrow registry comes in," he said.

There are now new methods for not only collecting samples to match candidates with donors, but there is also a new method of actually collecting the marrow.

HM1 Christopher Simmons swabs his mouth during a bone marrow donor drive at Naval Hospital Jacksonville Dec. 12. This sample along with many others will be sent to the Department of Defense Bone Marrow Registry to determine if it is a match for any candidates needing bone marrow. Photos by (SW/AW) Rebecca Kruck

"With the old way, they used to have to draw at least one test tube of blood to test for the matching genetic code. Now they can just use a cotton swab rubbed inside the mouth of the donor," said Lehman. "If they find a match there are now two methods they can use to extract the marrow. The first and older method is to make small incision into the hip and extract it out of the bone. The second method is called peripheral blood stem cell donation. They give you a drug to stimulate and multiply your marrow, and then they can remove the marrow from your peripheral blood."

Lehman admitted that both methods come with a few drawbacks to the donor.

"With the first method people may be a little achy, but are usually back to normal between three days and two weeks. And since the newer method actually amplifies your bone marrow, it might also cause aches the bones. Which method used however, is usually up to the doctor," he said.

Once all the swab samples are collected, they are sent to a lab in Georgetown, Va. to determine if anyone is a match. If they find a match the transplant team will bring the donor to Georgetown for the marrow extraction.

AS1(AW) Bradley White fills out a donor form during the bone marrow drive at Naval Hospital Jacksonville Dec. 12.

Marrow donation is a last step for people with bone marrow diseases. Once a match is found, they will completely destroy the marrow in their bones and replace it with the donated marrow. The small amount of marrow should engraft, takes root and starts to grow within the marrow and produce the cells that person needs to live.

Though the future is uncertain for Bower, it hasn't stopped her from making plans. "In May 2006, I requested and was approved for retirement in May 2007. I am looking forward to retiring. I want to travel and visit family that I have not seen in years. I long to go on a cruise, vacation and just simply relax to enjoy life and the surroundings given to us," she said.