Kailee Wells, an international adoptee born in China, fell victim to Severe Aplastic Anemia at the age of five. Five years of perpetual transfusions, immuno-suppressant drugs and heart-stoppingly close calls followed. The only long-term hope was finding a perfectly matched bone marrow donor who would agree to provide tissue for a transplant.

In hopes of finding a possible donor among the Asian and Pacific Islander population ... the best likelihood for a suitable match ... the Wells family joined up with the National Marrow Donor Program.

In what can only seem a miracle, a perfectly matched donor was found ... in China. A doctor in Beijing participated in the Marrow Donor Program, took a swab of his cheek, and Voila!, he turned out to be just what the doctor ordered. He has donated marrow for three transplants, the last of which was done in February.

The donations were not without drama, as a virus that attacked Kailee's marrow after the second transplant made a third vital, but China does not allow subsequent donations from the same donor. Having against all odds found one, there was no way another would be located.

It took a huge effort and much published data to convince the Chinese authorities to allow fresh stem cells to be harvested for transplantation into Kailee. Then, of course, the donor had to agree.

Today Kailee's blood work shows her to be in the normal range for the first time in five years, she's transfusion independent, which means that she's being weaned from the immune-suppressing drug that's helped, but given every bug in the neighborhood the chance to cause horrible harm.

There is hope. Great hope, in fact. And Kailee's story is as compelling as it is inspirational.

It is also not all there is, as at the moment there are 89 focus patients in need of donors across the US.

Between May 7 - 21, 2007, the National Marrow Donor Program is holding it's fifth annual Thanks Mom! Marrow Donor Drive, encouraging everyone to take a cheek swab and join the registry. The goal is to add 20,000 potential donors.

Ethnic minorities are especially needed.

If you can commit to stepping up, should you be lucky enough to be found to be a suitable donor, please check out the program at the nearest NMDP Registry location.