Leukemia & Hope: Argentine Man Champions Bone Marrow Donation After Life-Saving Transplant

At 27, Ernesto Stempelet received a leukemia diagnosis and learned his life depended on finding a bone marrow donor. Fourteen years after a successful transplant, Stempelet is now leading a campaign from Viedma, Argentina, aimed at turning solidarity into opportunity for others facing similar challenges.

The Difficult Wait for a Match

The diagnosis felt like a sudden stop to everything Ernesto knew. He was 27, with a young son, a career, and a future unfolding. “It hit me like a bucket of cold water. Then I broke down and cried like never before,” he recalls.

He was hospitalized in Carmen de Patagones when diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia, a serious blood disease often requiring a bone marrow transplant for a cure.

After the initial shock, his doctor explained treatment options, including a transplant, offering a glimmer of hope. However, he was also told a compatible donor might not be found.

Bone marrow, a spongy tissue within bones, produces blood cells and is vital for life. When it malfunctions, as in leukemia, lymphoma, or aplastic anemia, a transplant of hematopoietic progenitor cells may be the only cure. However, three out of four patients cannot find a compatible donor within their family.

“The wait was one of the most difficult times,” Ernesto says. “There was no family match, so everything depended on finding someone somewhere in the world. Knowing your life depends on a person you don’t know, whose identity and location are unknown, is overwhelming.”

He received chemotherapy in Viedma, supported by the local clinic’s team. “Many believe a diagnosis like this requires immediate travel to Buenos Aires. I chose to be treated here and am deeply grateful for the support and human connection,” he says. The transplant ultimately took place in Buenos Aires, facilitated by a network extending beyond borders.

That network is the National Registry of Hematopoietic Progenitor Cell Donors (CPH), operating under INCUCAI and integrated with the World Marrow Donor Association. This international database connects 63 countries and includes nearly 43 million volunteer donors. In Argentina, over 308,000 people are registered, and this system has enabled more than 1,800 patients to access transplants from unrelated donors.

A Life Saved by an Anonymous Donor

“The day I was told there were two potential donors, one in Germany and one in the United States, was one of the happiest days of my life. I felt like I was going to live,” Ernesto remembers. The transplant was performed using the donor from the United States. “A person who didn’t know me decided to donate. That gesture saved my life.”

Fourteen years after the transplant, Ernesto views his story differently. “With the birth of my other children, I understood something profound: that anonymous donor didn’t just save me. They saved them too, and likely future generations.”

This impact is already multiplying. A family member, inspired by his story, recently was called upon to donate bone marrow to a patient in Argentina. “When I found out, I got chills. It’s proof that solidarity returns,” he says.

This conviction led him to launch the campaign. “I felt the need to give back everything I received. If someone in the world did that for me, I want to do something for others.” Now healthy, working, and enjoying his family, he simply states: “Donating bone marrow is donating life. I hope more people will be encouraged.”

Addressing Misinformation and Fear

From a medical perspective, his case demonstrates the real impact of donation. “At the time of diagnosis, Ernesto’s chances of recovery were moderate to low,” explains Rubén Kowalyszyn, oncologist and medical director of Clínica Viedma and the Multidisciplinary Oncology Institute. “Chemotherapy and the transplant cured him.”

Kowalyszyn emphasizes that the biggest obstacle to expanding the donor registry is a lack of knowledge. “Misinformation creates fear. Many people still believe donating bone marrow involves a painful bone puncture. Today, in most cases, donation is done through apheresis, a procedure similar to donating blood, which is safe, controlled, and well-tolerated.”

The donor’s age is also a key factor. “Bone marrow from younger people works better, has a greater capacity to produce progenitor cells, and generally has fewer comorbidities, making the transplant more efficient,” explains the doctor.

Therefore, one focus of the campaign is those already practicing solidarity: blood donors. “Every person who donates blood is a potential bone marrow donor. Registering at the same time extends that solidarity.”

A Safe and Controlled Process

Despite years of myths and fears surrounding bone marrow donation, medicine now uses safe, controlled, and low-risk procedures for donors, Kowalyszyn explained. Bone marrow is not the spinal cord that transmits nerve impulses, but a spongy tissue within bones that produces blood cells.

The Ministry of Health defines donation as “a voluntary, free, and simple act.” Registration can occur simultaneously with a blood donation. To register, individuals must be between 18 and 40 years old, weigh more than 50 kilograms, and be in good health. A small sample is then taken, either from donated blood or a buccal swab, to analyze the HLA system, a set of genetic markers determining compatibility between donor and recipient.

Once registered, the person joins a national and international database. Their data is kept confidential and they will only be contacted if a compatible patient is found worldwide. Registration remains active until age 60.

If compatibility is confirmed, the actual donation is usually performed through a process called apheresis. For several days beforehand, the donor receives medication to stimulate the production of hematopoietic progenitor cells.

They are then connected to a machine similar to those used for platelet donation, which separates the necessary cells and returns the remaining blood to the body. It does not require hospitalization, lasts a few hours, and the person returns home the same day.

From a medical standpoint, the success rate of this procedure is close to 100%, and the risks to the donor are minimal. Recovery is usually rapid, allowing a return to normal activities in a short time.

Thus, a decision that begins with a simple act like donating blood or volunteering can, at some point, be the only chance at life for another person.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is acute myeloid leukemia?

Acute myeloid leukemia is a serious blood disease that often requires a bone marrow transplant for a cure.

What percentage of patients find a compatible donor within their family?

Three out of four patients do not find a compatible donor within their family.

How is bone marrow donation typically performed today?

In most cases, donation is performed through apheresis, a procedure similar to donating blood, which is safe, controlled, and well-tolerated.

What role can blood donors play in helping those in need of a bone marrow transplant?