On another flight, the same explanation won over an agent at New York's LaGuardia Airport. And once, my flight to North Carolina's Raleigh-Durham International Airport was delayed an hour. As soon as the announcement was made, I, along with every other passenger, rushed to another gate to try to catch an earlier flight. I managed to land at the front of the crowd - no one had really formed a line - and showed my paperwork. As others were put on standby, the gate agent told me to get on the plane and grab an empty seat in the front.
Security poses another set of challenges. I can't check any luggage given the likelihood that my itinerary will change. I also have to get to the transplant center promptly, which means I can't waste time hanging around the baggage carousel. And I have to treat the marrow like I would my passport - never letting it out of my sight. Each TSA agent handles my cooler differently. Although I am always given the proper paperwork to get through security, the best approach is to explain why I'm there and wait patiently while they check the marrow.
On a recent trip to Hamburg, Germany, via London's Heathrow Airport, I was nearly denied passage. Upon presenting the cooler and paperwork to be checked, workers wouldn't let me through security until a supervisor gave his approval. But then the supervisor said he couldn't let me through until he got approval from his supervisor. After about 30 minutes, the supervisor's supervisor returned and explained that it was taking some time to confirm my courier trip. Next time, he said, someone needed to call them.
Although I often make time to meet up with old friends and see a few sights, I must squeeze those visits into a very tight itinerary.
During an afternoon in Manhattan, I toured The New York City Waterfalls, a public art project by Olafur Eliasson, and had time for a hot dog and shake at Danny Meyers' Shake Shack in Madison Square Park.
Last fall, after a morning run along Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco, I climbed Coit Tower with a college friend. In Hamburg, I spent a rainy afternoon at the Kunsthalle art museum.
One of my longest trips was to Nijmegen, Netherlands. After seeing so many people riding bikes, I decided to visit the National Bicycle Museum. I also took a day trip to Maastricht, a small town to the south.
My flight home departed from Amsterdam, but it was scheduled to leave before the earliest train from Nijmegen that morning. So, the night before my flight, I took the last train from Nijmegen and spent the night in the airport.
It was miserable, but worth it. I gave someone a second chance at life and accumulated enough frequent-flier miles to cover a ticket for my honeymoon.
become a courier
Want to travel to help others? In addition to courier services, volunteers can assist with sponsor groups, fundraising and community events. For more information on joining the registry, contact: Nadya Dutchin, Account Executive, National Marrow Donor Program, P.O. Box 6478, Columbia, MD 21045, 443-472-1446 or visit marrow.org.
