After overcoming leukemia thanks to two bone marrow transplants, Lionel Sánchez recounted in the program 'Herrera en COPE Gran Canaria' the tough battle he fought and the significance of donation in saving lives. The young man recalled the anguish of waiting for a compatible donor while undergoing chemotherapy, a process he described as "playing with uncertainty".
The news of a compatible donor marked a turning point. "My family went crazy, but I took a while to process it, and the joy came with the passing days," confessed Sánchez about the emotional impact of receiving the life-changing news.
Lionel has received two transplants: the first in 2023, which was unsuccessful, and a second in mid-2024 that has allowed him to regain his health. He now celebrates multiple "life-birthdays," a term coined by the Josep Carreras Foundation. "The feeling with this second transplant has been very good, recovery has gone well," he assured, although he continues with periodic medical check-ups.
The transplant process involves intensive prior chemotherapy to eliminate the diseased marrow, followed by the infusion of the donor's marrow. Sánchez described this phase as "an internal battle within your body where the donor's marrow eats away at your diseased marrow." Despite side effects like sores or digestive problems, these symptoms are a positive sign that the treatment is working.
The success of the transplant is confirmed through chimerism tests, which measure the proportion of donor marrow. For Lionel, however, the true measure of success is feeling "more and more like the Lionel I was before the illness."
“"How beautiful it is that an anonymous person has saved another person's life completely selflessly. That person who donated their marrow can sleep soundly and feel proud that they have literally been a superhero for a patient who, otherwise, might not have been able to return to their normal life."
On the occasion of the upcoming Donor Day, Lionel debunks myths surrounding bone marrow donation, clarifying that it has no relation to spinal cord. Bone marrow, "the factory of blood," is extracted simply, often without the need for prolonged hospitalization.
“"The feeling you get when you've donated to another person is brutal, and the feeling you get when you are a patient who has received a donation is incredible. It's truly worth it."
Registering as a donor is a simple process requiring an analysis at hospitals like Doctor Negrín or Insular. Sánchez encourages donation, highlighting the personal gratification and the opportunity to "give life."
This sports enthusiast, having regained his health, has a clear dream: "to be able to practice sports my whole life," a wish that encapsulates the value of a selfless act that allows others to live again.
