Match found for man in need of transplant

Vinod Challagundla said he was "crying and crying" as he sat down Thursday to write an e-mail to the scores of friends who have organized bone marrow drives to save his life.

But unlike those tears of sadness shed since his diagnosis eight months ago of a potentially fatal marrow disease called myelofibrosis, Thursday's emotions were joy and gratitude - he was sharing the news that he had found a bone marrow match.

Vinod's friends from across the U.S. joined together to sponsor 164 bone marrow drives in 21 states.

In all, said Vinod, 15,000 names were added to the bone marrow registry from drives in his honor. Among those, one person was a match.

So on Sept. 1, the 37-year-old married father will fly to Seattle to begin the estimated four-month process of testing, transplant and

recovery.

"I am not only excited, I have so many feelings now," he said Thursday from his Dayton home. "This all happened because of the people. A lot of people don't even know me, but they helped in so many ways."

He said the bone marrow drives in his name not only succeeded in a finding a match for him, but the results ended up in the national registry. One woman reported she was contacted as a donor for someone else and has agreed to participate in the transplant, said Vinod.

"We have helped so many patients," he said. "(Which) proved again - my strength is my friends."

"Please know that all you have done will not be forgotten and has not gone unnoticed," Vinod wrote to his supporters. "May God bless each and every one of you in a special way each and every day."