Few families know the importance of the bone marrow registry more than the Boudreau’s of Bouctouche, N.B.
The lives of both father and son were saved by bone marrow transplants, and now they’re sharing their story, hoping to inspire others to sign up.
Son Samuel Boudreau is 22 years old, and only weighs around 60 pounds.
“I have Fanconi Anemia, it’s a genetic disease,” explains Samuel. “It’s pretty rare, I think we are 19 in Canada.”
His disease affects the bone marrow and results in decreased production of all types of blood cells. Samuel underwent a bone marrow transplant when he was just a one-and-a-half years old.
His brother, only 16 months older, turned out to be a perfect match.
“He saved my life, so I’m very proud of that,” says Samuel.
Ten years later, the Boudreau family had another health scare, as Samuel's father found a lump in his jaw.
“I had the cancer called Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma,” explains David Boudreau.
The only way to cure his cancer was a bone marrow transplant- a process that David was already very familiar with, given his son’s prior experience.
But finding a donor for David wasn’t as easy as Samuel’s search. David waited a month and a half to find a match, but says it felt more like a year and a half.
“For that person, time is precious,” explains David.
In March of 2016, David was matched with a man from Edmonton.
“I received a call a few days before Christmas, so that was a good Christmas,” recalls David.
The Boudreau’s say the transplants brought a lot of pain and heartache to their family, but also brought their family even closer together, and gave them a renewed appreciation for life.
Now Samuel and David raise awareness in hopes that others will be inspired to register as donors.
“It’s really important. If you can save a life, why not do it?” asks Samuel.
For more information on registering for stem cell donation, visit Canadian Blood Services.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Kate Walker.
