Thanks To The Kindness Of Strangers

(CBS)  Each year more than 10,000 people need bone marrow transplants to save their lives, and if a member of their family is not a match, then those patients' futures literally depend on the kindness of strangers. Selfless people willing to donate marrow to anyone who needs it. That is exactly what happened in the inspirational story of little Matthew Welling. Early Show correspondent Debbye Turner Bell has the amazing details.

In 2004, the birth of little Matthew was an answer to Mike and Susie Welling's prayers. At the time, they did not know that Matthew was born with a life-threatening disease. A bone marrow transplant was his only hope for survival. The Welling's family and friends rallied around to give them love and support but it took two strangers to give Matthew the gift of life.

Matthew Welling took his first steps here at New York's Memorial Sloan Kettering hospital. This little boy with the reddest hair and biggest heart knows what it's like to fight for his life.

Just before Matthew's first birthday, Michael and Susie Welling got the news no parent wants to hear.

"We had a full body x-ray and on our ride home he called us to say it's osteopetrosis," Michael Welling said.

This rare and potentially fatal bone disease meant they were in a race against the clock. Their only hope -- a bone marrow transplant. Without it Matthew would be blind and deaf within weeks.

"It was, here is our chance to make him normal, better," Susie Welling said.

"He's gonna survive," Michael added.

"He's gonna be OK," Susie said.

They kept a Web journal, a daily lifeline for friends and family.

"Tuesday, November 21," Susie Welling said, reading from the journal. "Our Day 2 -- Eight days until transplant. Good day for Matthew today."

Would they be able to find a bone marrow donor whose tissue type matched Matthew's?

"The odds of you knowing someone who is a perfect match are astronomical," Michael Welling said.

Those are called divine odds. Fifteen years earlier Steven Karas registered as a bone marrow donor at his synagogue in Natick, Mass.

"They called my office, my home, my cell phone and sent me an email all within seconds," Karas said.

He was a perfect match.

"I sell insurance for a living," Karas said. "To be able to go out and save someone's life is phenomenal."

Within days Karas' blood stem cells were sent to New York.

"Wednesday, November 29th. At 7:52pm Bubba received his new stem cells!!!!" was Susie Welling's journal entry.

But Karas had no idea if his gift worked, or the identity of the recipient. Bone marrow donors must remain anonymous for at least a year.

"Matthew was given this gift of life by someone we don't even know," Susie said.

But that joy would be short lived.

"Wednesday, December 20th," Michael reads. "This was the journal entry we did not want to have to compose. Matthew's body has rejected the transplant."

Next came the harrowing search for another donor and sleepless, feverish nights for Matthew as his blood count dwindled.

"This was the endless plunge," Michael said. "This was you just were freefalling. You didn't know how to stop it. You didn't know when it was gonna stop."

And then another miracle. When Jill Goldsmith's phone rang in Boca Raton, Fla., the screen on her caller ID said "Gift of Life."

"And at that minute it hit me. This was not about me and what I was doing," Goldsmith said. "This was about this little boy that was waiting for me in that hospital."

Goldsmith became anonymous donor No. 2.

"Saturday, January 27th," Michael reads from the journal. "11:25: Bubba's new life began!"

But the battle wasn't over yet. Matthew developed a painful rash, a life-threatening sign the transplant was attacking his body.

"Monday, March 5th," Susie reads. "We get no breaks. All the prayers in the world aren't working for us. Everything that could go wrong is ... "

Five weeks later … a ray of light.

"Monday, April 9th," Michael reads. "We interrupt your regularly scheduled program to bring you this breaking news story ... BUBBA HAS LEFT THE BUILDING!"

"That was a big day," Michael said.

As the months passed, Goldsmith and Karas approached the one year anniversary of giving their gift of life.

And finally the moment everyone was waiting for …

"Sunday, January 27th," Susie reads. "Today we met Steve - Donor No. 1."

"My hopes are to watch him grow up and to be a fine, wonderfully responsible young man," Karas said. "I know that we will have a bond for life."

"Saturday, May 17th," Michael reads. "It is our honor and our pleasure to proudly welcome into our family - the other half of Matthew's 'Dynamic duo' - Jill Goldsmith."

"I changed so many people's lives and most of all -- my own," Goldsmith said.

"It's really unbelievable that there is this world of good people out there willing to do such an amazing thing for others," Susie said.

This whole story is possible because Steve Karas and Jill Goldsmith registered with the National Marrow Donor Program. And that's what they and the Wellings want everyone to remember -- how important it is for healthy, willing adults to register. You literally could give the gift of life. As for Matthew, he is thriving and growing, thanks to Jill and Steve.

Aflac Bone Marrow Drive

Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center

Gift of Life Bone Marrow Foundation

[gunterta]

My oldest daughter, Cassie, was dx''d in July of 2006 with ALL (Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia)at 22 years of age. She went through chemo which put her leukemia in remission. In January of 2007, Cassie had a bone marrow stem cell transplant and her sister, Telisa, was a perfect match and her donor. We were very lucky - blessed is my choice of words. Cassie is doing fabulous today. I read this story and I always make it a point to tell others to put their names on the registry. Being a bone marrow donor is as easy as giving blood. My thoughts and prayers to both Matthews and all others who find themselves in this kind of situation. Never give up. Everyday is a new day in research.

[triciacolo]

wow...can''t stop crying, thinking about this story. I donate blood on a regular basis here in Colorado and I am hoping I am registered as a bone marrow donor at Bonfils Blood Center, I know next time I give blood I will make sure that I am.

[dfci1]

It is always heartwarming to hear when someone gives this precious gift of life. It only takes one person to bring light to the whole world.

Being a donor is not complicated but it does require the gift of time as well as eith marrow or peripheral blood stem cells. If you are bewteen the ages of 18-60, in general good health and willing to be part of this wonderful program, Dana Farber Cencer Institute in Boston will be happy to help you enroll. We can be reached through our toll free- 1-866-375-DFCI(3324)
or our website www.dana-farber.org and search donate marrow. All our donors are part of the National Marrow Donor Program Registry and available to help anyone in need. Thanks for giving during this season of giving. It''s great to see Matthew looking so good!

[jenstpeter]

If you are in the Rhode Island area and would like to register as a marrow donor or host a marrow donor registration drive, please call the Marrow Donor Program at Rhode Island Blood Center at 401-248-5720. We also serve all of New England - Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont.

[jdeterra1]

Hi,
As I sit in a childrens hospital in RI with my 2 year old son and my husband I was watching the story this morning about little Matthew''s bone marrow transplant success. My son is also named Matthew and was diagnosed with (ALL) Lukemia two weeks ago today on December 3rd. My husband and I were devestated but we had hope because it is 85% curable. He had a bone marrow biopsy done on December 4th and that was sent to a lab in VA for testing. Last Thursday, December 11th the doctors asked to meet with us to tell us some horrible news Matthew also has the Philadelphia Cromosome which means that without a bone marrow transplant the cancer will come back after treatment and the transplant is his only hope for a cure.

We are asking that anyone who reads this and is not registered, please consider being a bone marrow donor. It is very easy to see if you are a match. You have to get a cheek swab and then if you are a match it we be a non-invasive procedure. The doctors told us it''s kind of like giving blood. It does not require a hospital stay and if you are a match our insurance will pay the costs.

Thank you very much for reading my comments and we thank each and every one of your for considering donating.

Thank you!
Matthew, mom and dad!

[a_nathan]

I just read the story on the Gift of Life website about the Gala where Matthew and Jill met for the very first time. Very moving story. You should all read it!

http://www.giftoflife.org/Public/News.aspx?news_id=34

[recruitment-2009]

Join the National bone marrow donor Registry and give hope to patients everywhere, Patients just like Matthew.

When you become a bone marrow donor or partner of the National Marrow Donor Program, you join the global movement of more than 13 million donors who stand ready to give someone a future.

You could be the one a patient needs.

Please Join now
Today, the NMDP has made it even easier to save a life. Join the NMDP bone marrow donor Registry online %u2014 Join Now.www.marrow.org


Join in person
Or you can join our Registry through your local NMDP donor center or recruitment group or at a donor drive near you %u2014 Please visit the our website and find a center near you.

Help Now www.marrow.org or Call 1-800-526-7809, Join online or in person today and give Hope to those in need.

[nona144]

Watching this story about Matthew Welling this morning really made me feel good..Thanks for starting my day inspired and happy.

[docpeter1953]

This is such a beautiful story especially at this time of year. We should all be thankful for the greatest gift of all...life. The kindness of this individual saved the life of this adorable little boy who now has a second chance. I work at DKMS, the world''''s largest and most successful bone marrow donor center. We strive to give every blood cancer patient a second chance at life by recruiting marrow donors from every race and ethnicity. To register as a bone marrow donor and to hear other hearwtarming stories like this, visit our web site at www.dkmsamericas.org or call us at 1.866.340. DKMS.

Posted by mlaga at 10:42 AM : Dec 17, 2008
___________________

What truly wonderful responses. I do hope and pray that more people will seriously consider and accept this offer. I am a previous blood donor, over three gallons, who cannot give anymore after testing positive for Hep C. Many times I have wished I could continue to give and give more. The local Red Cross use to call on me between their usual 6 month visits to my employer''s office if they were running low on my type of blood. I never turned them down. How I wish I could walk in there now and give again.

[mlaga]

This is such a beautiful story especially at this time of year. We should all be thankful for the greatest gift of all...life. The kindness of this individual saved the life of this adorable little boy who now has a second chance. I work at DKMS, the world''s largest and most successful bone marrow donor center. We strive to give every blood cancer patient a second chance at life by recruiting marrow donors from every race and ethnicity. To register as a bone marrow donor and to hear other hearwtarming stories like this, visit our web site at www.dkmsamericas.org or call us at 1.866.340. DKMS.