Brandon Boothby Bone Marrow Donor Drive

by | Mar 31, 2022

Help Brandon find a Bone Marrow Donor

Firefighter Paramedic Brandon Boothby was recently diagnosed with life-threatening Aplastic Anemia. He needs a stem cell transplant, also known as a bone marrow transplant, to live. EMS Gives Life is partnering with Be The Match® and sharing his story to encourage people to join the Be The Match Registry to see if they are a match for Brandon.

Brandon’s Story

Brandon lives in Alachua County, Florida where he has worked as a Firefighter Paramedic for the Alachua County Fire Rescue for the past 6 years. He and his wife Lauren had their first child, a baby girl, in December 2021. 

A month after their daughter was born Brandon suddenly became very ill. After a hospitalization, multiple blood transfusions, and extensive testing, he was diagnosed with Aplastic Anemia, a potentially fatal condition that occurs when your body stops making enough new blood cells.  Brandon needs a blood stem cell transplant, commonly known as a bone marrow transplant, to live.

A transplant “could save his life … If anybody would be willing to donate, if they were a match, we would be eternally grateful,”

– Lauren Boothby, wife

How to Help Brandon

Be The Match® maintains the world’s largest blood stem cell registry and matches patients with compatible blood stem cell donors. There are two ways to help Brandon today:

1.  Join the Bone Marrow Donor Registry

2.  Share Brandon’s story and encourage others to join.

 

Join the Be The Match® Registry

If you are between the ages of 18 and 40, you can join the registry for Brandon so that doctors can determine if you’re a match for Brandon.

 

  1.  Text “Swab4Brandon” to 61474
  2. Follow the link to the Be The Match registry to join
  3. Complete the contact and basic health information
  4. Request a swab kit to be mailed to your home
  5. Swab your cheek and return it in the pre-paid envelope
  6. Create an account

Share Brandon’s Story

If you are not eligible to join the registry or if you’ve already signed up, you can help Brandon by sharing his story in your community and on social media and encouraging everyone to text “Swab4Brandon” to 61474. 

Learn More about Bone Marrow Donation

Click here to learn more about bone marrow (blood stem cell) donation and how you can help.

Would you consider being Brandon’s bone marrow donor?

Join the Be The Match Registry and have a test kit sent to your home!

  • If you are between 18 and 40 years old, you can join the Be The Match Registry as a potential bone marrow donor  for Brandon.
  • Text “Swab4Brandon” to 61474 or scan the QR code above to sign up and have a kit sent to your home.
  • Swab your cheek and return the sample in the pre-paid envelope.
  • Create an account so you can be contacted if you’re a match.