Breanna Shaw, Photography by Brea, LLC
Sarah Aiken hugs Kinley Strohl at Aiken's wedding in Maryland.
Sarah Aiken knew she wanted to save lives. She didn’t know that doing so would make her wedding day years later so much more special.
As a young nursing student at the University of Pittsburgh, Aiken helped with a DKMS-sponsored bone marrow drive. After learning about the good work done by DKMS, an international nonprofit organization dedicated to helping eradicate and treat blood cancers, Aiken registered as a donor with a quick cheek swab and some paperwork.
The registration process involved a simple cheek swab. It was 2012 when Aiken learned she was a potential match for a 6-year-old girl battling a rare blood cancer.
The girl was Kinley Strohl, from Delaware, Ohio. Aiken was surprised DKMS contacted her, but there was no question in her mind that she wanted to go through with seeing if she was a match after learning that the recipient was a child.
Bloodwork confirmed she matched the needs of the little girl and had the opportunity to help save the girl’s life.
Strohl’s doctors decided that she needed bone marrow instead of just stem cells, which meant that Aiken would have to undergo surgery at Georgetown University Hospital to donate. She said DKMS did a thorough job preparing her throughout the process. There are always risks with surgery, but Aiken said that she recovered quickly, and doctors were able to manage her pain easily.
Aiken and Strohl had been in touch after the procedure, but they still had not met in person. Aiken decided her wedding this year would be a good opportunity to change that. “Weddings are a time to celebrate with people you care about,” Aiken said.
Aiken said having Strohl at her wedding, near Annapolis, Maryland, was special — and that seeing how easily the two families interacted only solidified the bond they share. (Aiken lives with her husband now in Alexandria’s West End.)
According to DKMS, individuals who are healthy and between the ages of 18-55 can register to become donors, and they can donate more than once — and Aiken said she would “100% donate again” if asked.
Witnessing Strohl’s experience and serving in the healthcare field — she’s a neonatal nurse at Inova Children’s Hospital — has given Aiken greater perspective on the importance of donating and the power it has to change and save lives.
If you are interested in learning more about becoming a bone marrow and blood stem cell donor, visit www.dkms.org.