Cancer and Clinical Services Patient Stories

Finding both a donor and a friend

Finding the perfect bone marrow match for transplantation involves science, chance and generosity. After Mike Baker’s diagnosis of myelofibrosis, a rare type of blood cancer characterized by the buildup of scar tissue in the bone marrow that can eventually progress to acute leukemia, the science piece of that puzzle was provided by the bone marrow transplantation (BMT) experts at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (The James).

“We learned that finding a good donor is much more complicated than simply matching blood types,” Mike says. “It involves matching what are known as human leukocyte antigens (HLA), a protein which helps your body recognize which cells belong and which do not. If you don’t have a good match there, your new immune system could attack your body.”

The first donors checked for Mike were his four sisters. Siblings often have a higher probability for matching, but none of his were closer than a 50% match. At this point, Mike’s hematologist-oncologist Sumithira Vasu, MBBS, connected him with an Ohio State team member who coordinates with Be The Match, a global network that works to connect potential donors with patients. This is where chance and generosity came into play, both in the form of a 23-year-old man who lived somewhere in the United States who had initially provided a sample of his DNA through a cheek swab and then confirmed his match with Mike through additional blood work. “My donor — still a complete stranger to me — was not only a match, he was an exceptional match,” says Mike. “We found him just as my disease was progressing faster than expected. Dr. Vasu explained the unique opportunity, and with the cooperation of the donor, the transplant was promptly scheduled.”

At The James, Mike underwent a series of intense chemotherapy sessions and other treatments to destroy his existing bone marrow and immune system before completing a successful transplantation. “Everyone there worked diligently to ensure I was as comfortable as possible,” he says. “There are times that’s simply hard to do given the complexity of the treatments, but the facilities at The James are exceptional, so that helps.” Several weeks later, Mike was sent home to complete his recovery — a time he says his wife and caregiver, Marilyn, played a major role — and 15 months post-transplant, he decided to initiate contact with his donor, which is allowed by Be The Match after one year and requires donor-approval for introduction.

The generous stranger finally had a name — Tyler Hall — and it turns out that he and Mike have more than bone marrow in common. “We found out that Tyler registered with Be The Match when he turned 18 to honor his grandfather who had died from leukemia,” Mike says. “His grandfather had a bone marrow transplant when he was 59, the same age as me when I had my transplant, and was also a golf pro, just like my father. Unfortunately, he didn’t make it to 60. It was five years after Tyler registered that he received the call asking if he was still interested in donating. Fortunate for me, he was!”

Subsequent emails revealed other connections and led to an in-person meeting, with Mike and Marilyn traveling 1,000 miles to meet Tyler, who at the time was living in the same state as their son and daughter-in-law. “I vividly remember walking across the parking lot and embracing him,” Mike recalls. “I had just hugged the stranger who had saved my life. We invited Tyler to stay with our family that week, and it was then that I learned his donation story and discovered just how lucky I was to have been matched with such a kind, generous young man. We parted from that first visit with Tyler as a member of our family. As a result of the transplant, my blood is now identical to Tyler’s — we are truly blood brothers, and I’m forever grateful for both him and Be The Match.”

Visits between Tyler and Mike, as well as Mike’s extended family and close friends, have continued ever since, including a recent visit to The James on the five-year anniversary of Mike’s bone marrow transplant. “We don’t typically get to meet both the patient and the donor together,” Dr. Vasu says. “Their visit gave our entire team an opportunity to see how lives are impacted after a patient leaves our care.”

“I owe my success story to many people,” Mike says. “At the front of the line is Tyler and Be The Match, because the donor is the beginning of any transplant story and the reason successful transplants at The James even exist. Also, my wife, Marilyn, who was my rock during the entire process. Of course, I owe huge credit to the expertise of Dr. Vasu and her team of professionals too. They helped me through the initial diagnosis and the long, successful road to recovery with real compassion. Without question, the team of doctors and nurses on the 14th floor of The James provided exceptional in-patient care too, and deserve medals of valor for all they do.”