What do you hope for? 

The family of Jose Valle knew what to hope for. They hoped that their 15-year-old son would find a donor. Jose had been diagnosed with severe aplastic anemia when he was only nine. For several years doctors treated his disease with blood transfusions and other medical procedures. Unfortunately these did not work and Jose began looking to the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) for a compatible match. Only two out of ten donors will ever find a lifesaving match.

Seven years previously, another young man in south Texas participated in the McAllen Miracle Riders bike ride. The bike riders start in the Valley and ride to San Antonio to raise awareness of the need for Hispanics to join NMDP. When Abiel Caballero arrived in San Antonio, he made a blood donation and joined the registry. He didn’t give it another thought.

When Jose’s doctors began looking, they found Abiel’s name on the list. By this time, Abiel was married and had two young sons. “Now that I have children, I saw the point of view of  his parents – how it must hurt.” Abiel didn’t hesitate and donated his bone marrow. Bone marrow is found in the cavities of the body's bones. It resembles blood and contains stem cells, which produce red cells, white cells and other blood components. Abiel found the experience so easy and so fulfilling that he said that he’d like to do it again someday. The construction company in Weslaco where both he and his wife work supported him and generously gave him the time he needed.

He got his chance, when regretfully, the first transplant for Jose did not take hold. So Abiel donated again, this time through the peripheral stem cell procedure. The same blood-making cells that come from the marrow are also found circulating in the blood stream. These are removed using a procedure similar to blood donation.  This donation was successful and Jose began the road to recovery. Jose has returned to school and is a member of the soccer team.

On Saturday, February 9th, Abiel and Jose met for the first time in San Antonio. The meeting took place at the national launch of Saturn Donor Day, one of America’s largest annual community-wide lifesaving donation drives in the United States. The Saturn Corporation, South Texas Blood & Tissue Center, the National Marrow Donor Program and America’s Blood Centers have all joined together in this nationwide effort to raise awareness and to help save lives.

As Abiel and Jose hugged, the gathered crowd burst into applause. Abiel spoke a few words to the crowd, “If you can do it, why not? It doesn’t cost. It doesn’t hurt. I have little brother now in Jose.”

Jose’s mother Paula said, “It’s a great day for the family. I don’t have words to thank him. We’re just so grateful to God.”

For more information on our marrow program, please e-mail Yvonne Ybarra, or call (210) 731-5513.