Purpose and History
I was diagnosed with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) in January 2007 and underwent chemotherapy but due to aggressive protein markers and the nature of my disease, the leukemia did not go into remission. I received a peripheral blood stem cell transplant on August 12, 2008 from an unrelated donor who was matched through the National Marrow Donor Registry database.  In 2009, I underwent a series of three donor lymphocyte infusions (DLIs) to boost my T-cell counts.  In 2010, I continued to receive IVIGs due to a weakened immune system. Today, I continue to cope with chronic GVHD, but it is tolerable and praise the Lord, I am alive and cancer free!

Unfortunately, many patients awaiting matching bone marrow or organ donors are not such a common tissue type.  Years may pass before rare tissue or organ types can be found.  Some patients cannot wait that long.  The possibility of finding a matching donor is decreased  in African-Americans, Hispanics and Native Americans.

Additionally, donors may have to pay for donating their tissue if the patient's insurance does not cover costs.  There is also an upfront cost unless a business, individuals or grants have been set up to cover the cost.  Because of these reasons, financial donors are in big demand.  Individuals who are unable to donate blood, tissue or organs due to health status may save lives by donating money to the cause.

Save a Life Mississippi was created primarily to raise awareness of blood, marrow, tissue and organ transplant donation.  Some ways that we do this is by offering resources and ways to help on our website in addition to links to various patient information and assistance groups. 

Please forward this site to anyone you know who needs help locating existing resources for treatment costs or cancer information.  If you would like to be a donor ambassador, please contact me.  We need ambassadors all over the world!

Amy Lemmons
Cancer Survivor & Donor Ambassador
Save a Life Mississippi
Email: contact@savealifemississippi.com