A smiling woman lying in a hospital bed holding up a bag of blood stem cells and with medical wires attached to her.

Somebody’s dream starts with your “yes”

Brooke almost didn’t join the NMDP RegistrySM—but when she did, she changed someone’s life forever. In the process, she discovered the power of giving and the impact one person can make.

Getting the call

Six months after swabbing, Brooke got a call from NMDPSM confirming she was a potential match. Despite a conflict with her track championship, she moved around her schedule so she could both compete and donate. Her nine-hour peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) donation in Seattle was a positive experience with excellent care. Though she experienced body aches from filgrastim (given to help stem cell production, moving cells into the bloodstream for easy collection) and caught a cold during recovery, she was back to competing two weeks later.
A woman wearing a red "Montana" tank top and black shorts, running on a track with two people running behind her.

Meet Brooke

Brooke, a pre-med student at the University of Montana, is driven by a passion for exercise science and clinical research. With a family rooted in medicine, she’s long felt called to a career in healing and discovery. Outside the classroom, she pushes her limits on the track team, where her dedication as a runner mirrors her commitment to helping others.

Brooke joined the registry during an NMDP Get in the GameSM swab event hosted by the Montana football team her sophomore year. At first, she walked past the table—but on her way out, a friend urged her to sign up. She said “yes,” not knowing that moment would lead to something life-changing.

The power of donating

Brooke’s selfless decision to donate was met with overwhelming support—even from her neighbor, an oncologist, who told her that what she was doing was “a dream for someone.” Though she began the journey with questions and a touch of hesitation, she finished it with clarity, gratitude, and zero regrets—knowing she had given someone hope when they needed it most.

Learn more about becoming a donor.

A woman in a hospital bed with medical wires attached, with another woman in a black sweatshirt sitting beside her.
Brooke (left) and her friend, Alta

Saying “yes” was easy because it felt like fate to me. Everything did work out, so there’s no way I’d want to say “no.” This was meant to be.”

Brooke

Blood stem cell donor

Be an inspiration

When a patient needed a life-saving match, Brooke stepped up. You can too. Join the NMDP Registry today—you could be the one a patient is waiting for.