DUXBURY, MASS. (WHDH) – A 21-year-old woman from Duxbury made a life-saving transplant inspired by her father who passed away from leukemia last year.
Sydney Philbrick is a recent bone marrow donor.
“It was a rare form of leukemia and so despite doctors at Dana Farber doing their best, he passed away seven months after diagnosis,” said Philbrick.
After her father’s passing, Philbrick registered with the Gift of Life Marrow Registry. She got a call last month that she was a 100 percent match for a patient in need of a transplant.
“When I first got the call I immediately got chills. I feel like it’s a sign from my dad and that he’s very happy and he would be proud of me,” she said.
Philbrick flew to Washington D.C. last week to donate blood and five cups of bone marrow to the 39-year-old patient.
The procedure fell on the first anniversary of her father’s death.
“When they gave us the date of the operation, for the both of us, it was kind of a God moment because the odds are so astronomically against that,” said Philbrick.
Now she hopes to encourage others to become donors.
“All it takes is a swab of the cheek and you’re in the registry, and you might get a call, you might not, but now you’re in there and it’s a really good feeling to have,” said Philbrick. “I think anyone who has the opportunity to do something like this should absolutely take it. It’s a very rewarding experience.”
Philbrick said she hopes to one day meet the patient who received her bone marrow.
(Copyright (c) 2025 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
Join our Newsletter for the latest news right to your inbox Email address Submit
