College of Saint Mary physician assistant student donates blood stem cells to save a life

OMAHA, Neb. – For Jaclyn Negrete, donating her blood stem cells to save a stranger’s life was an obvious choice. 

“There’s no better feeling than knowing someone’s loved ones are going to get the opportunity to spend more time with them,” she said. 

Negrete, a College of Saint Mary (CSM) Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies student, has been donating blood since she was 16 years old. Joining the bone marrow and blood stem cell donation registry when she turned 18 seemed like the right next step.  

“I thought it would be a simple and easy way to give back,” she said.  

According to the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP), bone marrow is a soft tissue found inside bones. Bone marrow contains blood stem cells. For patients with blood cancers or other life-threatening disorders, a blood stem cell transplant can save their lives. Blood stem cells can be donated through a peripheral blood stem cell donation (PBSC) or a bone marrow donation. 

Negrete found out she was a match for someone who needed a bone marrow or blood stem cell transplant during the summer of 2023. After getting a blood test, they decided to go with a different donor. 

Then in September 2024, Negrete learned she matched with another patient who needed a transplant. Again, she got a blood test and a physical exam. She was confirmed to be the best match for the patient, and she was soon flying to Houston, Texas to donate her blood stem cells.  

“It felt obvious that I would do it. It just made sense. This is what I signed up to do and it was my duty to follow through on a promise I made,” Negrete said. “Saving a life is something you don’t turn down. It was very rewarding.” 

Being on the bone marrow and blood stem cell donor registry connects thousands of patients with donors. According to NMPD, seven out of 10 patients don’t have a matched donor in their family, so they rely on the donor registry.  

“I was very excited to be able to do that for someone,” she said. “Everybody should sign up to be on the registry. It’s pretty rare and difficult to find matches, so the more people who are on the registry the better. It doesn’t take that much effort and it’s very rewarding.” 

The process of donating her blood stem cells through PBSC, which took about six hours, was fairly easy for Negrete, who is comfortable in healthcare settings because of her major at CSM. 

 Negrete isn’t sure where her interest in healthcare came from, but she’s always excelled in science and enjoyed biology.  

“That put me on a path to healthcare,” she said. “I wanted to find a way to use my passion for helping others with something I’m good at. That’s what led me to PA school.” 

She chose CSM’s Pre-Physician Assistant Studies and Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies program, which allows students to earn their undergraduate and master’s degrees in five years. During her undergraduate studies, she was a member of the Flames Athletics tennis team. 

Negrete is currently completing her clinical experiences and will finish the PA program in August. 

To join the bone marrow and blood stem cell registry, order a free swab kit, swab your cheeks and send the kit back. Your tissue type is then added to the registry.