Marrow transplant recipient Nancy Diaz (l), 17, met her lifesaving donor Isabel Valencia, 25, for the first time on July 25 at a Gift of Life event held in Nantucket. 

From the time she was a baby, Nancy Diaz faced an incredible challenge: she was born with an extremely rare inherited platelet abnormality called Glanzmann thrombasthenia. The condition affects only one in every 1 million people, and inhibits the ability of blood to clot properly. In some cases, life-threatening bleeding incidents can happen. 

For patients with a severe form of the condition, a marrow or blood stem cell transplant is the only option for a cure. For Nancy, that matching marrow transplant donor was Isabel Valencia, who joined Gift of Life after her brother donated stem cells. 

The two were introduced for the first time on July 25, 2023, at a private event in Nantucket, Mass., sponsored by Dr. Stephen R. Colen, a transplant recipient and member of Gift of Life’s board of directors. 

Yvette Slatoff, also a transplant recipient, was invited to introduce the pair who had not met previously as transplants remain anonymous in the United States for the first year. She welcomed Nancy to the podium and gave some background on her story. 

When Nancy was 15, she learned from doctors that this type of transplant could help her survive. She told them, “You only live once, and I don’t want to spend the rest of my life fighting this.” The search for a donor began. After two months, good news came in – her matching donor had been found in Gift of Life’s registry. 

Before introducing Nancy to Isabel, Yvette said a few words about her, as well.  

Isabel joined the registry after learning about it from her older brother Daniel, who had donated stem cells. 

“It was amazing to see him help save someone’s life,” said Isabel. “I also wanted to be able to help someone, and when I received the call to donate bone marrow, I felt excited my recipient would get the chance to life a fuller life.”

Finally, the big moment arrived and Yvette invited Isabel to come forward and meet Nancy. The two embraced and shed a few tears of happiness.

“Finding a donor provided me with hope,” said Nancy. “When I received my transplant I felt good because I knew I wasn’t going to fail.” 

“I am beyond thrilled to meet you,” said Isabel. “I waited so patiently for the first year to pass by and hoped you would want to meet and talk.  This is such a beautiful experience, I would donate a million times over.” 

Nancy, 17, is a resident of Detroit, Mich., where she lives with her mom, dad, brother and sister. Nancy’s sister has also received a bone marrow transplant. Nancy enjoys playing computer games, building Legos, “and sleeping!” 

Isabel, 25, is a resident of Dallas, Texas, where she works as a medical billing specialist. She lives with her boyfriend, two children, two dogs, and some chickens. She had a great donation experience, taking the train to the collection center in New York, having her first New York hot dog from a street vendor, and making friends with the owner of a bagel shop where she breakfasted every morning. 

Isabel's first train ride to NY		First NY hot dog from a vendor		Isabel donates bone marrow!