A New Lease on Life

BY MAEGAN CARRASQUILLO, STAFF WRITER

Two years ago, Shari McKinnon, wife of EXIT’s Director of Leadership, Bob McKinnon, started feeling unwell. She was a highly active woman and imagined she just caught the flu. Two months in and she was only getting worse. Upon going to the ER, she was immediately sent to the Baylor Scott & White T. Boone Pickens Cancer Hospital where she was diagnosed with leukemia, and told she’d be staying for 30 days.

She had 24 hour care while in the ICU. Days were spent filtering out white blood cells filling up her lungs and treating her for kidney failure. After her release, she’d return every two weeks for rounds of chemo but ultimately, doctors said she was going to need a transplant.

I didn’t even understand why I would have to have a transplant. What kind of transplant? This is blood cancer. The doctors let me know this was not going to be a sprint, it’s a marathon and they had a plan for me.

Shari underwent multiple treatments over five months, when Bob met Earl Young, an Olympic gold medalist and fellow blood cancer survivor. He explained all about his initiative and the DKMS program, which is a German bone marrow donor center where swab kits are used to match donors with those in need of stem cell transplantation for blood cancers.

With Earl’s help they set up a virtual donor drive since it happened during the beginnings of social distancing. EXIT Realty Corp. International shared the initiative through their social media platforms as well, and word spread quickly.

The people from EXIT, you can just see they’re so caring and it’s just a different kind of company, but when you see it play out in your own life it’s amazing. I had people sending me cards and messages on Facebook all throughout the year. It was really so heartwarming. It really makes a difference knowing that you have people out there supporting you. It really helps with your healing process.

On June 23rd Shari found her match and on August 15th, 2020 she received the life-saving marrow stem cells, with a new immune system, donor blood type, and is now cancer free. A year and a half later and she’s feeling like she’s on the other side of the mountain ready to get back to normal, but with a new lease on life.

I’ve got a sense of peace about me, and when I wake up, I’m happy and thankful for today. I just want to share that. I want to bless others and live my life in a way that helps make an impact. I’m so grateful for everybody who has helped me on this journey.

To learn more about testing to see if you’re a lifesaving match visit earlyoungsteam.com to order your swab kit today!