Rich Wendland

My transplant journey started in 2000 with the diagnosis of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. While the chemotherapy was effective, it almost shut down my kidneys so we had to abandon the cancer treatment to concentrate on my kidneys. In 2002, the cancer had advanced to the point where a bone marrow transplant was the only long-term solution. I was put on the waiting list with the Be the Match donor registry of the National Marrow Donor Program. A match was found in umbilical cord blood and the transplant was completed in October 2002. I returned to work following a three-month leave and have been cancer-free since. I want to thank the mother who was thoughtful enough to donate the cord blood. A huge thanks also goes out to the doctors and nurses involved in my care before and after the transplant.

Each day is a gift. Live it fully. Use it wisely.

As a member of Team MN-Dak, we celebrate the gifts of organ, eye and tissue donation and encourage others to register as a donor. By competing in the Donate Life Transplant Games of America we honor our donors, our donor families and celebrate life.