Thankfully, there are wonderful and unique moments in life. One of them is the annual donor – recipient meeting held in Prague the Municipal House. This year it was a story of 28-year-old patient Jakub and 29-year-old donor Nikola.
Jakub
I am a violinist, the cruel disease has interrupted the innocent years of my youth and my career. Thanks to my life saviour – stem cell donor – I can continue with my life right there where it had been interrupted.
Since childhood I have played the violin, my grandfather who was a professional master and played for years with the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, has brought me to that. When I was fifteen I successfully passed the entrance examination at the Prague Conservatoire. I lived a carefree student life, experienced the joy of winning the national competitions and the joy of a concert in the sold out Rudolfinum. I continued to study at HAMU in Prague and the prestigious Conservatory of Tchaikovsky in Moscow.
Then my world collapsed – I was diagnosed with acute leukaemia. Chemotherapy followed, complications in the form of multi-organ failure and the need for artificial pulmonary ventilation. I did it, but a bone marrow transplant was necessary. In January 2012, I received stem cells of an unknown Czech woman. Despite post-transplant problems, the transplantation was successful and I slowly returned to life. Already in 2014 I participated in the Summer Music Course in Israel and I continue to play still. I will never be able to thank enough my donor, whom I finally met, my parents who supported me, and the doctors and nurses who cared for me…
Nikola
I was born in Plzen and I have an older brother Tadeas. I have lived a beautiful childhood with lots of interests, sitting in front of the TV or computer did not belong to them. I have also played the violin for ten years. My parents were always unconventional and so we grew up on hard rock music. At the age of 14, I got a bass guitar and soon established a punk band with my friends.
After giving birth, my main hobby became Victoria (3,5) and Marianna (1,5), my life began to spin only around them. There was another addition to the daughters, a puppy and finally, after a difficult period, a new life partner who seemed to be my second half.
I have joined the registry because my friend needed a donor. Unfortunately, we were not a match. However, after a year they called me from CNMDR, that there is a young man who needs me. I felt pure joy, without fear, without worry…