When a Young Soldier Needed a Match for a Life-Saving Bone Marrow Transplant, Thousands of People Showed Up

• Sgt. Derrick Bishop was diagnosed with aplastic anemia, a rare bone marrow disease
• The 23-year-old needs a life-saving bone marrow transplant, and doctors said he did not have a match in the international database
• After a call went out on social media, thousands of soldiers and veterans nationwide showed up for donor screening

Thousands of volunteers showed up after a call went out about a soldier who needed a life-saving bone marrow transplant.

Army Sgt. Derrick Bishop, 23, has spent more than six years as an Airborne Infantryman, part of the 82nd Airborne Division in Fort Bragg, North Carolina. However, he recently started struggling with frequent headaches, severe coughing fits and vomiting episodes, according to HunterSeven Foundation — a non-profit group founded by veterans that specializes in cancer care and medical research.

Bishop’s health took a turn for the worse following a terrifying moment when he vomited blood. That's when he knew something was seriously wrong.

He was rushed to the hospital and diagnosed with aplastic anemia, a rare bone marrow disease. The condition causes the body to stop producing enough new blood cells, leaving patients fatigued and more prone to infection and uncontrolled bleeding, according to Mayo Clinic.

“He’s gone from running 5 miles daily to struggling just to walk up the stairs,” his wife Veda said in a GoFundMe post.

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Due to the life-threatening condition, Bishop was told he needed a bone marrow transplant.

The five-year survival rate for people with the disease who undergo a bone marrow transplant is higher than 75%, while a majority of patients who go untreated die within a year from the disease, according to a study published by the National Institiutes of Health.

With Bishop in need of a transplant, on March 27, the foundation posted a call on social media for bone marrow donor screening through the Defense Department’s marrow donor program, Salute to Life. 

On March 31, more than 1,000 soldiers and veterans showed up at Fort Bragg for screening and over 1,000 more submitted requests online for test kits. Additionally, numerous military installations across the country are holding similar screening events for Bishop, including Fort Cavazos and Fort Bliss in Texas, Fort Jackson in South Carolina and Fort Campbell in Kentucky.

“Initially we were told Derrick did not have a match in the international database,” Veda said. “However, in the last couple of weeks, we have been filled with hope as our military family has stepped up to support us through hosting bone marrow donor searches at military bases across the U.S.”

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“The strength of America’s Army rests on its soldiers and our shared values,” Army Secretary Daniel P. Driscoll said in a statement to Task & Purpose. “It’s heartening to see the Fort Bragg community rallying behind Sgt. Bishop in his time of need and I encourage our soldiers and leaders to continue drawing strength from one another, regardless of the circumstance.”

Chelsey Simoni of the HunterSeven Foundation told the outlet that she’s not surprised at the large turnout due to the bond they all share.

“These soldiers, their whole thing is selfless service and service to others and their brotherhood,” she explained. “So, to see it — it was expected. I saw a few full-bird colonels there. I saw some senior warrant officers, senior enlisted, all the way down to privates. They came out in force for their team.”

Sgt. Christian Sutton — known as “The Bone Marrow Guy” — has been using the momentum from Bishop’s story in his campaign “Operation Ring the Bell,” which aims to make bone marrow drives a routine part of Army service,

“We hope to see the Army take on this fight, and make searches by patients for donors much shorter and much more infrequent,” Sutton said. “We are honored by the support we have seen this cause get from Army leadership.”