Stem cell transplant recipient pens touching letter to donor

Yesterday, a woman named Jillian posted on Reddit a photo of a thank-you letter she'd received from the recipient of her bone marrow donation.

"Your selfless act humbles me," the recipient wrote. "I can't believe that a complete stranger would take the time and go through the discomfort of donating their stem cells to me."

"You have made a huge difference in my life. My transplant went well. Your strong cells have done their job. You have given my body a chance to start working correctly again. So far, so good!"

Jillian's post encouraged some Redditors to seriously consider signing up to be donors.

"When I first signed up I was called in a month later to do additional blood testing, but I was not a good match then. Four years later, I ended up being a good match...for someone else!" Jillian wrote.

"Even if you don't get a match, it's still great that you signed up, and made a very serious commitment to help someone in need."

Jillian told HuffPost that she initially signed up to see if she was a match for a coworker. When she wasn't, she chose to stay on the list — and ended up saving a stranger's life.

Reddit user beerutiful was inspired by Jillian to share a similar story.

"[For] the first time I feel the need to share my own letter from my recipient in the hope of inspiring others to join the bone marrow donor list," she wrote, posting a photo of the letter she received in 2010.

"Words seem insufficient to express my gratitude and awe of you for literally giving me the gift of life," the letter read.

"It has now been just over a year since I received your bone marrow — it is now my own. I have been privileged, even blessed, to have been surrounded by so many miracles throughout this journey. None of it would have been possible without your selfless generosity. I have been nurtured, loved and supported throughout this process by a team of professional experts, dear family and friends, my office team and even my own patients. The outpouring of tenderness and unconditional giving I have received at every level is humbling — I have a reverence and gratitude for all I have experienced."