Haley’s Giggle

After four years of anticipation, we have finally heard from Haley’s donor. Her name is Hiltrud Schulze Icking, a 42 year-old woman from a farm in Northern Germany.  We first learned of her identity last April but waited to hear back from her first to make sure it was a legit connection. Over the holidays, we received a letter and a card from her (in German, which had to then be translated in English). From the moment we found out about a bone marrow match for Haley in the fall of 2006, the identity of the donor was a mystery. The way it worked was that, for security reasons, it’s a double blind donation: they don’t know who we are and we don’t know who they are.  At her one year anniversary, we inquired about the identity but was told that the information remains in anonymity at least another year, which meant that Haley’s donor was located somewhere in Europe (that’s their policy).  Last year, at the two-year transplant mark, we inquired again, but were refused. We were told that in a few rare instances, the donor wishes to remain anonymous.  So, through Sloan, we would send updates (leaving specific information out so as to honor the anonymity clause). This time, at the 3rd year transplant mark, we sent the donor another letter, as we had the previous two anniversaries and a few other occasions in between. We also sent her a picture that Haley had made. Maybe it was the picture, maybe it was the update. But whatever it was, after 3 and half years, the donor is finally revealed.

The name “Hiltrud” is a name like “Minerva,” or “Minnie,” one that has run its luck. No one of our generation bears that name.  I looked it up. “Hiltrud” means”strength,” which is the same meaning as one of Haley’s names, “Gavriella” (Hebrew female version of the name Gabriel).  It gives the blessing, “may you go from strength to strength” very personal meaning. next step: to write to Hiltrud to find out what she likes to eat…