Broadcaster Kim Na-young has participated in hematopoietic stem cell donation.
On the 31st of last month, Kim Na-young released a video titled “Kim Na-young's Hematopoietic Stem Cell Donation Vlog (The Lucky Letter Received After 10 Years)” on her YouTube channel.
Kim Na-young said, “Today, a letter arrived at our house. I received a call from the stem cell bank,” and added, “The moment I saw this letter envelope, I remembered that I had registered to donate stem cells by chance over ten years ago.”
Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is one of the treatment methods for patients with intractable blood tumors that have disorders in hematopoietic function, such as leukemia, aplastic anemia, and malignant lymphoma. After the patient's hematopoietic stem cells are destroyed by chemotherapy or radiation, they can be cured by receiving hematopoietic stem cells from a healthy donor whose genes match.
She went on to mention that the probability of matching hematopoietic stem cells is very low, saying, “Unless they are relatives, the probability of matching between parents and children is less than 5%, and the probability of matching between unrelated individuals is extremely low, at one in tens of thousands. I am very happy to think that a patient in need of my blood has appeared, and that I can do something.”
Kim Na-young decided to go for testing after making the decision to donate. She asked the nurse, “Is the probability of matching genes really low?” The nurse explained, “They say it’s one in 20,000, but the rarity varies depending on the genes. Some patients have only one match on the domestic donor list, while others have 100. For this patient, there are fewer than 10 matches in the country, including Kim Na-young.”
Kim Na-young documented the entire process and began promoting it. She said, “It’s such a blessing. For that person and for me. How many people get to experience something like this in their lifetime? I think there won’t be any issues with the donation since I’m healthy.”
Professor Kim Dong-yoon from the Hematology Department at Yeouido St. Mary's Hospital, who oversaw Kim Na-young's stem cell donation process, said, “I think just promoting (stem cell donation) is a very meaningful act,” and added, “I believe it’s something only humans can do. Donating one’s own hematopoietic stem cells and giving someone a new life is a very significant act.”
Kim Na-young initially underwent the collection of hematopoietic stem cells, but had to undergo a second collection due to insufficient cells. She expressed her disappointment, saying, “I’m so upset,” and showed tears of remorse for the recipient.
After the donation, Kim Na-young said, “I ate and my condition has improved a lot since earlier,” adding, “I was very worried, but it turned out to be manageable. If it’s used for someone in need of my blood, it’s definitely worth it.”
She also expressed her pride, saying, “I feel a sense of accomplishment after doing it. They say this is something you can only do once in a lifetime. Even if there is a matching person, I heard that the organization won’t allow further donations. I did something today that I can only do once in my life.”
[Kim So-yeon, Star Today Reporter]
