As of: February 23, 2024, 1:36 p.m
By: Felix Herz
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More than ten years ago, Jan Rolfes (on the left in the photo), who works in Bavaria, donated stem cells - and thus saved the life of Ben, who lives on the other side of the world.
© Private / DKMS
“Small thing, big impact,” is how Jan Rolfes, who works in Erlangen, calls his stem cell donation in 2012. At least the latter is very true.
Nuremberg – It was a good twelve years ago that the then 24-year-old Jan Rolfes changed the life of the American Ben Clark.
He was registered as a stem cell donor with the DKMS - and was identified as a suitable donor for the sick Ben.
So he, still living in Cologne at the time, made his way to the collection clinic in the Media Park in Cologne.
He recently met Ben in person - at his wedding in Iowa.
Donor fairy tale between Bavaria and Iowa: Jan travels to Ben's wedding
The German Bone Marrow Donor Registry (DKMS) reports on the happy ending in Iowa on its website.
It all started in 2012 when Jan Rolfes donated his bone marrow to Ben.
“For me it was just eight injections to prepare and a little bit of bone pain.
During the donation I watched a nice film – then it was over for me,” remembers Rolfes, according to DKMS.
“Small thing, big effect,” Rolfes calls it modestly – but at least about the latter he is definitely right.
Because he saved Ben's life and, among other things, enabled him to marry his partner Jayme.
That's why she recently invited Rolfes, now 35, to the couple's wedding in Iowa.
And he said yes.
Jan, who teaches at the university in Erlangen, traveled overseas with his girlfriend Kathi.
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“When it was Ben’s mother’s turn, things got really emotional”: Emotional getting to know each other in Iowa
It then became very emotional on site.
As Jan reports according to DKMS, there was a warm meeting between him and Ben's family.
“When it was Ben’s mother’s turn, it got really emotional,” says Jan. The priest then said at the wedding that Jayme wasn’t Ben’s first “perfect match.”
Being in the spotlight like that was almost a little uncomfortable for the Rhineland native.
“I haven't done much.
And suddenly I found myself among 300 people I didn't know in Iowa.
And every single one of them thanked me.
That was crazy,” it says on the DKMS website.
At the end there was even a gift for Jan Rolfes.
A chain with engraving.
“Thank you for giving me my life.
I am eternally grateful to you,” it says in English.
And in German: “Thank you”.
Urgent DKMS call for potential donors – many registrants will be leaving in 2024
In an interview with our editorial team, Angela Wistuba-Hamprecht from DKMS Donor Recruitment explains that registering as a potential donor is essential for many people's chances of survival.
“There are now 12 million people registered with the DKMS.
This has already helped many patients who needed a stem cell transplant,” says Wistuba-Hamprecht.
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This year, another 135,000 registrants will be leaving due to age.”
Angela Wistuba-Hamprecht, DKMS donor acquisition
Every day, 22 registered people would donate their stem cells and thus help sick people.
But every year hundreds of thousands of potential donors are removed from the register - because people are no longer allowed to donate from the age of 61 for medical reasons.
Wistuba-Hamprecht is all the more urgent in calling on young people in particular to register.
“That is why it is essential that as many young people as possible, especially from diverse ethnic backgrounds, register as potential stem cell donors.
Since young, male donors are more often asked to donate, this target group is particularly important,” explains Wistuba-Hamprecht in conclusion.
Hopefully Raffi will also find a donor - who will give her a new life without blood cancer.
(fhz)
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