Flynn’s Gift of Life

21- year-old Flynn Freeman never knew the immense impact he would have when he was swabbed for the Gift of Life Marrow Registry last year during an on-campus event at GWU. Little did he know that simple cheek swab would become a life-changing experience and an act of kindness he could never have imagined doing during a pandemic.

While he was home for Christmas break, he found out that he was a potential match for a patient. A blood test here in Vermont confirmed that he was indeed a match for a 70-year woman suffering from Leukemia. They needed his healthy stem cells to help save her life. 

He was initially scheduled to donate his cells at a collection center near his school in Washington, DC this Spring. However, with the COVID-19 Pandemic, that wasn’t possible. Instead Flynn and his family drove to Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston to donate his stem cells. 

Flynn did not let the coronavirus pandemic stop him. In a selfless act of kindness, he became somebody’s hero. He risked his life during this unprecedented time to give a stranger the Gift of Life. Our office is beyond proud of Flynn and requested to share his story! 

Flynn’s family, as well as our office, wants to encourage people to donate when they are able and to think about getting swabbed to be put in the donor database. You never know when you could save someone else’s life! 

You can register at https://www.giftoflife.org/ or another organization called Be The Match https://www.bethematch.org .

Thank you Flynn for having such a giving, loving heart. We are so proud of you! You have not only given the gift of life, but have given us all a gift in hearing your story.

By Jordan Palker, MSW