Jack Piland, a freshman marketing major at the University of Southern Mississippi (USM), has been identified as a match for a woman in Texas who is in need of a stem cell transplant. Piland had participated in a tabling event for his fraternity’s philanthropy, Be The Match®, where he swabbed his cheek to see if he was a match for someone in need. Little did he know that his simple gesture would lead to him being chosen as a donor. Be The Match® is an organization that finds stem cell matches for people with critical medical conditions, and operates the most diverse marrow registry in the world. Piland’s donation process, including physical testing and evaluations, will take place in Hattiesburg before he travels to Houston to undergo a peripheral blood stem cell transplantation procedure.
Laura Laughlin, executive director of student life at USM, commended Piland and his fraternity for their support of Be The Match®. Laughlin mentioned that fraternity membership can have a positive impact in the world, and expressed her anticipation to speak with Piland upon his return. Piland himself is grateful for the opportunity to help someone in need, noting the irony and significance of his donation falling during the holiday season. He hopes that his experience will serve as an example for others and inspire more people to donate.
Be The Match® is a non-profit organization dedicated to saving lives through stem cell and bone marrow transplants. They work tirelessly to find matches for patients diagnosed with life-threatening blood cancers. To learn more about Be The Match® and how to get involved, visit their website at https://bethematch.org/.
