Broadcaster Kim Na-young shared her experience of donating hematopoietic stem cells.
On the 31st, Kim Na-young said in a video titled "Kim Na-young's hematopoietic stem cell donation vlog (a lucky letter received after waiting for 10 years)" on her YouTube channel, "(After 10 years) a letter arrived at our house," adding, "I received a call from the hematopoietic stem cell bank."
Kim Na-young noted, "The moment I saw this letter envelope, I remembered that I had registered to donate stem cells by chance over 10 years ago." She continued, "They said a patient matching my genetics has occurred and they reached out to me, and that after a long time of registering my intent to donate, they sent a notice to inform me about the donation process again, asking me to read the notice all the way through and let them know my current desire to donate."
She added, "Unless they are relatives, the odds of a match between parents and children are within 5%, and the odds of matches between strangers are incredibly low, as low as one in tens of thousands, so when I heard there was a patient who needed my blood type, I was extremely happy to think that I could do something."
After that, Kim Na-young documented the entire process of blood collection, testing, and her hospital stay in the video. Kim Na-young referred to this donation as "luck," saying, "How many people get to experience something like this in their lifetime?"
The professor responsible for Kim Na-young praised her, saying, "Just promoting this is a very meaningful act." He added, "For someone to donate their hematopoietic stem cells and give someone else a new life is incredibly significant."
Following the donation, Kim Na-young has also revealed her recovery process, including receiving medication and exercising.
She expressed, "When I went through difficult times, I received a lot of support from people whose faces and names I didn't even know," and noted, "That support may have helped me live until now. I send all the support and joy I've received back out into the world," conveying her happiness.
Hematopoietic stem cell donation is performed for patients with hematologic disorders such as leukemia, aplastic anemia, and malignant lymphoma, who have impaired hematopoietic function. Patients with hematopoietic dysfunction can be cured by being transplanted with healthy hematopoietic stem cells after their diseased hematopoietic stem cells are destroyed using chemotherapy or radiation.
Hematopoietic stem cell donation ideally involves related donors, primarily between siblings, but if a suitable donor is not available, unrelated donors can be found through the hematopoietic stem cell bank or from half-matched relatives, such as parents and children.