Styrian woman tells

“Saving someone’s life is wonderful”

Barbara Häusler, lifesaver through stem cell donation

(Bild: Jauschowetz Christian/Christian Jauschowetz)

Barbara Häusler is a lifesaver! The donation of her stem cells was the only chance of survival for a man with cancer - and the Styrian appeals to everyone to register for this too.

"It was comparatively so little effort and expense for me - for the fact that someone's life could be saved and they didn't have to die." Barbara Häusler has never pulled anyone out of a river or resuscitated anyone on the street and yet she has become a lifesaver. Because she gave a part of herself!

Stem cells, taken from her blood. "This is often the very last chance for seriously ill people," says the kindergarten teacher from Birkfeld. "And something that no one is immune to. Every single one of us could find ourselves in a situation where we urgently need help like this to survive." The young woman was confronted with the issue herself when "an acquaintance of mine was given a new lease of life through such a donation. That's when I decided to register." It was very simple: "I was sent a kit with cotton swabs for a tongue swab, plus health information and you're already in the database."

She had almost given it no more thought - when the call came this summer: "I wondered if I would still be available, I would be suitable as a donor. I immediately had goose bumps, it really got to me, yes of course, I was ready straight away, I accepted immediately. After all, we're talking about a life here, and the fact that it's that of a complete stranger makes no difference."

Blood tests, taking samples, examinations
Blood tests followed, samples were taken, "a basic examination at Graz University Hospital, lung X-ray, ultrasound, ECG. It's good to know that you're fit," she smiles and thanks everyone at the LKH for their "appreciative treatment". Then the real work began for her: "I had to inject myself daily so that the stem cells in the bone marrow would multiply and migrate from the bone marrow into the bloodstream. She doesn't want to hide the fact that she had side effects, "such as flu symptoms, fever, aching limbs. But if you know what you're doing it for, it's really negligible." 

And then there it was, October 7th, the big day: together with her friend Michaela, she went to the LKH, in three hours blood was taken from one side of her body, the stem cells were filtered out and the blood was returned to the other side. "The cells are then in a bag, they look a bit like reddish meat juice." After the procedure, "I got up and went home. As if nothing had ever happened." But something was very different: "This feeling of being able to help someone. To save their life. It's simply indescribable!"

Because it gets a little cold during the procedure, it is "heated up" under the blanket

(Bild: zVg)

She would have thought a lot about which veins her blood was now flowing through, "is it a child, a mother, an elderly person?". This much she finally learned: "It's a man, about my age, from Germany. He has leukemia and would have died without my blood." There is absolute anonymity for two years, in case the patient still needs a donation - then the veil could be lifted. Barbara Häusler: "Maybe I'll hear from him then. I think a lot about this person, whether he is well, whether he is hopefully still alive."

She asks the people of Styria to get typed, "there must be an incredible number of them, because the chances of the cells matching a stranger are so small". For her, the whole thing was incredibly enriching: "To know that a part of me is flowing into someone else and that it has saved their life. I would do it again any time, the question doesn't even arise for me!"

"Giving for life"

• The association "Geben für Leben - Leukemia Aid Austria" celebrates its 25th anniversary
• During this time, 200,000 typings have been carried out and more than 600 stem cell donors have been found
• Typing is carried out by means of a simple cheek swab using a cotton swab
• The "Be a hero" campaign is currently running, in which stem cell donors talk about what motivated them and those who have met the recipient talk about their overwhelming encounters
• People between the ages of 17 and 45 who do not have any serious or chronic illnesses are eligible for typing
• All information: www.gebenfuerleben.at