Celebrating Survival After Transplant: Appreciating My Donor

Mary Sansone is a two-time survivor of acute myeloid leukemia. Catch up on all of Mary's blogs here!

On June 5, 2025, I was a blubbering mess. I had just finished eating food while with my brothers, sisters, and mother. Afterwards, my younger sister had me sit down on the couch in front of their TV and told me that I was going to watch something special.

I was wearing a tiara and a birthday sash. Even though I turned 60 in February, we were celebrating my 5-year birthday. Five years ago on June 5th, I received a bone marrow transplant to treat a recurrence of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), a specific type of blood cancer.

When I was diagnosed with the recurrence of my AML, I was given ample information and gentle lectures on the recommended bone marrow transplant treatment plan. Although Moffitt Cancer Center treats the whole person, the physicians had a duty to share survival rates. Without the transplant, the survival rate to 5 years was only 24%. With the transplant, the survival rate to 5 years was 65%.

There was a focus on 5 years. If you make it past five years, there is a good chance you will have a “normal” lifespan.

I made it past 5 years. My body cooperated with my desire to experience more. This was a reason to celebrate. My family gathered together and shared a meal. I received Disney princess birthday cards, one even containing a 5-dollar bill. Then I was placed in front of the TV.

There was a picture of a girl on the screen. “Do you know who that is?” my sister inquired. I smooshed my face and then burst into tears. The video started playing. My 28-year-old donor (23 at the time of the transplant) and her boyfriend were outside their residence in Israel. Shay started to speak, and I made a loud noise. My family encouraged me to “Listen!” But as she started talking again, I couldn’t help but make another weird scream.

I had been in contact with Shay through email over the years. She wasn’t too proficient in English, so it was sometimes difficult. After we met, she went to Canada to take English classes. Upon her return, she was called up from the reserves to serve in the Israeli Defense Federation. Her email was no longer working. I sent a message through Facebook, but all her posts were written in Hebrew.

She is very pretty and sweet. In the video, she pronounced Mary (my name) as Marie, which was endearing. Her English was now very good. She was next to her handsome boyfriend and a beautiful black canine that they were training to be a blind guide dog. She shared that she took my recommendation to visit Africa and went with her partner for the better part of three months. She and I both love animals, have two sisters, like to draw, and are kindred spirits. She told me that she is incredibly fearful of needles, but that didn’t stop her from donating her marrow to save my life. She ended the video by calling us sisters.

I got emotional. Sometimes I will find myself taking my life for granted. This was a jolt to my system. I am alive because someone I did not know saved my life! I hope her life is filled with wonder, peace, animals, health, prosperity, joy and much love.

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