MIAMI BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - It was an emotional morning at Miami Beach City Hall for a bone marrow recipient who met her donor for the first time.
Twenty-one-year-old Olivia Mosely was born with sickle cell disease.
Living in Connecticut, Mosely said she always wanted to learn how to snowboard, but her condition made it difficult for her to be out in the cold.
Her only opportunity to live a normal life was through a bone marrow transplant.
That’s when the nonprofit organization “Gift of Life” stepped in.
“I stand before you, not only as Gift of Life’s founder and CEO, but also as the recipient and survivor at 27 years post-transplant, thanks to a total stranger,” said Jay A. Feinberg.
The nonprofit collects samples from volunteer donors in hopes of saving a life by finding the perfect match.
The process is simple: a person just needs to have their cheek swabbed.
“Inside of your cheeks, up and down for about 10 seconds, and then you do the other side as well,” said a woman.
The whole process takes less than a minute.
For Mosely, her perfect match came from Brooklyn, New York.
“Who doesn’t want the opportunity save a life?” Brandon Folkes said.
Folkes, 24, is a college student and said he never hesitated to step up and get swabbed.
“It was a good process, and it was easy, and before I knew it, I was back on my feet, living my life,” he said, “and as you can see, it was worth it.”
Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber introduced Mosely and Folkes for the first time. Audience members clapped when the of them embraced.
It was a small gesture that changed her life.
“Thank you. I could probably never thank you enough for what you did and giving me a second chance at life,” Mosely said.
For more information on becoming a donor through Gift of Life, click here.
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