Meeting her donor

Barrett Harris commands attention. She has just learned to walk-- she’s proud of it--- and wants everyone to see her doing it. The 2-year-old may be a little behind schedule in learning to walk, but she’s making up for lost time. At just 3 months old, Barrett was diagnosed with leukemia. A bone marrow donation from an unrelated donor saved her life a few months later.

Now, one and a half years later, she was waiting to meet her marrow donor, walking circles around a half a dozen family a friends waiting at Metro Nashville airport.

The Harris family invited Barrett’s marrow donor to join them, all the way from Texas, for a party in her and Barrett’s honor, to offer thanks for the gift of life and to spread the word about the importance of bone marrow donation. According to the National Marrow Donor Program, more than 30,000 people are diagnosed each year with a disease requiring a bone marrow transplant. Barrett’s donor, 27-year-old Molly Setnick, accepted the invitation.

“I’ve talked with Molly several times on the phone, and we’ve exchanged emails and photos but this is the first time we’ll get to meet her,” said Barrett’s mother Audrea Harris.

Neal, Barrett’s father, is a quiet guy and hasn’t spoken with Barrett’s donor on the phone yet, but as he watched the joy of his life, his first-born, play and entertain those waiting in the terminal, his eyes welled up.

“It’s all been so strange,” Neal said. “The donor program lost the information on Barrett’s donor, so we weren’t able to send her a letter or ask to meet her after a year was up, but then she decided on her own to look us up. The day she got through and asked to contact us was May 25 th, Barrett’s birthday.”

Many things seemed to the family as if they were meant to be. Molly is a perfect bone marrow match for Barrett. That means on ten of the ten tests, the two have identical markers and so Molly’s marrow will be accepted well by Barrett. Matches like that are very rare. Molly also happens to be a very healthy donor.

“She’s an aerobics instructor and when the doctors saw her marrow they said it was some of the best looking marrow they’d ever seen,” said Audrea.

By 4:10 p.m., the Barrett family was ready for Molly’s arrival. A huge banner welcomed Molly to Nashville. Barrett, wearing white bows, carried a yellow rose to symbolize friendship. Yellow bows lined the wagon she rode in.

When Molly and her husband Ben finally walked out of Gate C there were many hugs, lots of pictures taken and several tears.

Audrea’s Aunt gave Molly a small gift, a charm bracelet with Barrett’s name on it.

Molly said it was well worth the one and a half year wait to meet “the baby” as she’d always known Barrett.

“It’s so amazing to me,” Molly said. “That of all the people in the world, it was me who was her match. She’s adorable and it’s so rewarding to finally get to give her a hug.”

Sidebar

 In a letter Audrea wrote to Barrett on her second birthday, she commented on having just learned the donor was trying to contact them.

 “It is impossible to describe the excitement I feel, no one can, unless you have walked in my shoes. Your donor is why you are here today; she has given a selfless gift. She gave you a second chance and she gave me my daughter. As I type with tear filled eyes I cannot imagine a better example of a “Hero”. A Hero is one who saves others and thinks nothing of themselves, that is what best describes her in my opinion.”

Carole Houser Bartoo, RN
Public Relations Manager
Vanderbilt Children's Hospital