Since losing her cousin to leukemia during childhood, Heather Lynn made it her mission to ensure others battling blood cancers get a second chance at life. Earlier this year, the St. Louis native fulfilled that life purpose: saving a stranger by donating her stem cells.

Five years ago, Lynn became the director of global special events for DKMS, the worlds largest bone marrow and blood stem cell donor center, and registered as a potential donor with the hope that someday she could give a blood cancer patient what her cousin didnt have a second chance at life and more time with the patients family.

Amid this years coronaviral pandemic, Lynn received the life-changing call from a colleague that she was a match for a 58-year-old man battling acute myeloid leukemia. I screamed with joy, Lynn recalls. I was a match for someone with blood cancer and was about to be the first employee at DKMS to donate and ultimately save someones life. After the call, Lynn realized she would be giving more than stem cells: I was giving something much bigger: hope.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding COVID-19, Lynn felt a strong sense of purpose to help this man and donated her stem cells to save his life. I have seen how much someones life can change with a blood cancer diagnosis, Lynn says. The fear, the pain, the loss it can be devastating. I have spent the past five years working to elevate the message about donating and how easy it is to sign up and give back it simply requires swabbing the inside of each cheek for 60 seconds.

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St. Louis Native Heather Lynn Discusses Motivation for Donating Stem Cells - Ladue News