Asked when she first gave a sample, she said: “The first time I gave a sample was in October 2017, when I was at university and the Karaiskakeio Foundation had come to collect samples.
“The moment the phone rang and I saw that it was the Karaiskakeio Foundation calling, before I even answered, I told my mother, ‘I’m going to be a match. That’s why they’re calling me.’ And that is exactly what happened. At first, I froze because I couldn’t believe that it had happened to me. However, when they briefly explained the procedure to me, I immediately said that I was ready to do whatever was needed.
She added that she had no hesitation about her decision. “Throughout the entire process, I kept thinking that, just as my phone had rung, the patient’s phone had also rung, and that there was a second chance at life.”
Describing the procedure, she initially explained that she had to undergo a series of tests to ensure that she was in good health. Once the examinations were completed and everything was found to be in order, a date was set for the collection of the transplant.
“For five days before the collection, a nurse would come to my home twice a day and administer injections containing growth factors, so that more blood-forming stem cells could be produced in my bloodstream. During those days, I was in constant contact with the Karaiskakeio Foundation in case of any side effects, but fortunately, everything went well.
“On the day the transplant was collected, I went to Nicosia General Hospital, to the Haematology Department, and the procedure began. Personally, because I have very thin veins, I needed to have a central venous catheter inserted and was connected to the machine. The machine collects the blood-forming stem cells, while the remaining components of the blood are returned to the body.”
She said she was deeply moved once the procedure was completed. “The transplant, which I gave with all my love, was placed in a small suitcase and travelled to Germany that same day, to give hope to a little child.”
Asked whether she knew who would receive the transplant, she said: “The only thing I know is that I was found to be a 100% match for a two-year-old boy and that the transplant went to Germany. It was very moving to know that it was a child. Personally, however, I believe that whoever I had been a match for, I would have done it with the same love.”
Concluding, and wanting to send her own message to those who are potential matches, she said: “It is an incredible blessing to know that someone can continue to hope for their dreams and for life because you devoted just a few minutes. In the end, you don’t remember the fear at all. You simply hope that everything will go well.”
Also read: President on economic upgrade: “Public debt is falling, a significant milestone”
