My name is José Antonio and I am a mechanic at CON in Horta, Barcelona, and I would like to tell you my story.

Last year life was wonderful, I had a promising future, a good job, friends to spend a good time with and joke around and, of course, bosses to fight with. But like many of us I thought that everything was hard and I'd say to myself: crap, I have to go to work, crap, I have to do what any other adult has to do, crap, they are so tough with me... Everything was a big deal, although some days were greyer than others.

Nonetheless, one day they gave me the news, the worst news, the one that one never expects. That day and all of the next weren't grey; they were black and covered by the tears of a bad news: I was diagnosed with Burkitt's lymphoma. I had no knowledge about this illness, and for that reason when the diagnosis came, my whole world fell apart. Nevertheless, I found some power inside me and thanks to my family, my girlfriend, my friends and the doctors that help us, I was able to gain motivation and I promised myself that I would win this battle. So I started to think about all of the positive and beautiful things in life, in all of the things I still had to do and I got out the best of me in order to fight against the illness.

 

Today, after a year of battle, of good and bad moments, the illness has disappeared from my body and if God wants and everything goes well it will all be over. Now, although there are still some difficulties, my life has changed, and my thoughts are: I am so lucky to have a job, I am so lucky to have friends to joke around with, I am so lucky I'm healthy... It may sound typical but if we are healthy there is nothing we can't do, maybe some days are harder and others are easier, but in the end they are all an opportunity to love each other and to love life.

My battle has ended, but not the cause, that is my I have become a member of the José Carreras Foundation. To all of you I'd ask you to inform yourselves on how to become a bone marrow donor. You have to keep in mind that with a very small gesture you can save a lot of lives and you can support all of those people that have to go through this nightmare. I just want to send warm regards to all of the people who have to go through this situation and to all of those who have family members in the hospital.

I want to thank all of my friends and work colleagues for all of their support, my family and girlfriend who have been beside me at all times, all of the doctors in haematology at Duran i Reinals, for all of their support and professionalism and, specially, all of those who have fought by my side and who haven't been able to win the battle.

If you want more information about the donation of bone marrow to help people like José Antonio (and many other patients) to have the opportunity of a cure, click HERE. Remember that the donation of bone marrow is altruistic, anonymous, and universal. If you register as a bone marrow donor, you could be making a donation to a person from anywhere in the world. If you want more information, write to donants@fcarreras.es or call us on our free phone number (in Spain) 900 32 33 34.

You could also become a member of the José Carreras Foundation. With a little amount you could help us to continue our research.