Junior Jeffrey Metzler completes heroic action for his Grandmother
Junior Jeffrey Metzler’s grandmother, Kim Moser, was given only two weeks to live without treatment.
She was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia in February 2025. Moser was taken to the University of Kansas Hospital, located in Kansas City. Family members got mouth swabs to find potential matches for stem cell and platelet donors. With Metzler being the best match, they began the donation process.
Donation appointments were rescheduled numerous times due to his grandma’s blood counts not being high enough, but when they were sufficiently high, he was finally able to donate over 900,000 stem cells. In preparation for Metzler’s part of the donation, Metzler had to take two shots a day for three days, then had to undergo surgery to get a catheter placed in his right pectoral area. These shots helped increase his stem cell production and pushed the stem cells into the peripheral blood. This allowed the team to collect them through a central line.
The actual donation was a more intricate process.
“The day before the donation, I had to go to the hospital and be put to sleep to have the central line placed, which was inserted on the right side of my neck. Then, the next day, the donation began,” Metzler said. “They pulled my blood out of one lumen of the central line, which went into a machine that spun it down, separated the stem cells, and collected them into a bag for my grandma.”
His recovery time took around two days.
The donation had a great impact on Metler’s relationship with his grandma. What began as hopelessness and despair has evolved into gratitude and even greater love.
“Before, I honestly had little hope, [I was] sad. After I’ve seen her get stronger, my energy has been up more. … [We are] even stronger than before,” Metzler said. “I feel like this has honestly just brought my whole family closer together, and my grandma and I are pretty much inseparable now.”
With this being Moser’s first time having leukemia, it was a new process of the unknown. When she arrived at the University of Kansas Hospital, she went under a new and more intense round of chemotherapy while in search of a stem cell donor.
After Metzler donated, they went through the procedure of transplanting the stem cells into her blood. The procedure took around four hours to complete. The procedure impacted Moser’s life greatly.
“I had been really sick, sicker than I’ve ever been. Afterwards, I was still really sick because the stem cells make you feel weaker, and I was already weak,” Moser said. “Now, today, I’m feeling a lot better.”
The recovery process has been a journey, as in the beginning, it was hard for Moser. She spent a lot of time recovering in bed, hardly ever being able to leave. Moser used a walker for a portion of the time and, since attending physical therapy, has shied away from the walker. As the journey has continued, she has shown great progression in health and strength.
Since the donation, the relationship between the grandson and grandmother has grown substantially. From being close to even closer. This shows just how beautiful and important family is.
“I would say it probably saved my life. I know it did. I didn’t really have much of a chance without that, and with him, it’s just we’re on a different level. He’s my hero, and he saved my life,” Moser said. “The fact that he prayed to have this happen and to be the donor is such a blessing to have somebody in my life who would do that for me.”
