Social Media Lifesaving
By-
Marielle
As I type right now, doctors are transplanting a healthy kidney into a teenage girl across town at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. That might happen all the time but today’s story is different.
It all started with a sewing blog whose author decided to transform her audience into a social media engine to save her daughter: http://thedomesticdiva.wordpress.com
Using Twitter and Facebook and blogs, the mom got so much response she announced in November: “we have more possible donors than we could have ever wished for! Thank you to EVERYONE who sent in donor forms, called, blogged, twittered and help spread the word…BUT WE DO NOT NEED ANY ADDITIONAL DONORS AT THIS TIME.”
Since then, countless other Twitterers and I have followed the story of 15-year-old Marielle, from emergency room visits to pediatric intensive care, and from one near-perfect but mismatched donor to the next. One came form Las Vegas.
Ongoing symptoms and complications have been difficult to read about. I even learned about the donor exchange programs, which sounds something like a three-way baseball trade where everybody wins.
This morning, the former sewing blog announced: WE GOT A CALL…THEY FOUND A KIDNEY FOR MY 15 YO DAUGHTER!!!
This UPDATE followed: Marielle was taken into the operating room around 6:30AM EST. The surgery can take anywhere from 6 to 10 hours. Will update as soon as I hear anything. Thanks for your continued prayers and support! P.S. – Happy Birthday to my sister, Delia and brother, Joe! LC
Now, the Twitterverse is holding it’s collective breath. I wish them the best of course, but I also feel grateful for the many lessons this experience has taught us, not the least of which is the amazing power of the Internet.
The best way to get the latest news fast will probably be via search.twitter.com:
http://search.twitter.com/search?q=domesticdiva
Godspeed Marielle!
EVENING UPDATE: Oh–things could not be going better! Marielle came through her kidney transplant and is doing GREAT.
From http://thedomesticdiva.wordpress.com
17 Comments
December 29th, 2008 at 4:42 pm
social media helps find a girl a kidney: http://bit.ly/Dhmy go social media go!
December 29th, 2008 at 4:43 pm
RT @JimMacMillan: After Twitter search for kidney donor, Domestic Diva’s daughter in transplant surgery right now: http://is.gd/e0cZ
December 29th, 2008 at 4:45 pm
Kidney donor found via Twitter-Facebook-blog, now in surgery in Philly RT @JimMacMillan: http://is.gd/e0cZ
December 29th, 2008 at 4:47 pm
RT @JimMacMillan: After a Twitter search for a kidney donor, Domestic Diva’s daughter Marielle is in transplant surgery: http://is.gd/e0cZ
December 29th, 2008 at 4:49 pm
RT @JimMacMillan After Twitter search for a kidney donor Domestic Diva’s daughter Marielle in transplant surgery right now http://is.gd/e0cZ
December 29th, 2008 at 4:53 pm
RT @JimMacMillan: Twitter search 4 kidney donor; Domestic Diva’s daughter Marielle is in transplant surgery in Philly now: http://is.gd/e0cZ
December 29th, 2008 at 5:11 pm
RT @JimMacMillan: After a Twitter search 4 a kidney donor, Domestic Diva’s daughter Marielle is in transplant surgery now: http://is.gd/e0cZ
December 29th, 2008 at 5:13 pm
RT @JimMacMillan: After a Twitter search 4 a kidney donor, Domestic Diva’s daughter Marielle is in transplant surgery now: http://is.gd/e0cZ
December 29th, 2008 at 5:15 pm
RT @JimMacMillan: After a Twitter search for a kidney donor, Marielle is in transplant surgery in Philly right now: http://is.gd/e0cZ awesom
December 29th, 2008 at 9:41 pm
I have watched this story unfold and it could not have come out with a better outcome. We are all praying for a speedy recovery!
December 30th, 2008 at 12:16 am
…and browsing through Twitter users I follow, and who they follow, etc, I came across you…which led me to your tweet and this blog post. Don’t you love how things are connected?
This is great to hear, yet another case study I can add to my Twitter-related bookmarks to help sell social media benefits to clients.
December 30th, 2008 at 2:04 am
Excellent post thanks for telling the story.
December 30th, 2008 at 2:42 am
RT @JimMacMillan: The update from Philly is “great” – Domestic Diva’s daughter – and her kidney transplant: http://is.gd/e0cZ
December 30th, 2008 at 2:45 am
RT The update from Philly is “great” re Marielle – the Twittering Domestic Diva’s daughter – and her kidney transplant: http://is.gd/e0cZ
December 30th, 2008 at 5:21 am
We’ve heard many Twitter case studies lately. How about finding a kidney for a 15-year-old girl? Via @JimMacMillan: http://is.gd/e0cZ
December 30th, 2008 at 6:09 am
RT @ariherzog: many Twitter case studies lately. How about finding a kidney for a 15-year-old girl? Via @JimMacMillan: http://is.gd/e0cZ
December 30th, 2008 at 7:21 am
RT @ariherzog: many Twitter case studies lately. How about finding a kidney for a 15-year-old girl? Via @JimMacMillan: http://is.gd/e0cZ