Cook Children’s Pediatrician Diagnosed with Leukemia in Urgent Need of Blood Stem Cell Donor

By Charlotte Settle

Danny Kim, M.D., a 57-year-old Cook Children’s pediatrician, has been diagnosed with advanced leukemia. He has devoted his life to serving our community, and as he undergoes treatment for cancer, he is in urgent need of a blood stem cell transplant. Dr. Kim has given so much support to our patients and families. Now it’s time for us to support him.

Dr. Kim is a Houston native and a Texan to his core. He has been a beloved board-certified pediatrician in the Dallas area for 26 years. Dr. Kim has served as the Pediatric Department Chairman at both Presbyterian Hospital of Plano and Baylor Carrollton. He is a Fellow of The American Academy of Pediatrics and a Diplomate of The American Board of Pediatrics. Dr. Kim currently lives in Plano with the love of his life and wife of 29 years, Jennifer. 

We are looking for healthy people to undergo oral swab testing—a quick, painless and FREE process that will determine if your blood stem cells are a match for Dr. Kim or another patient in need.

For life-threatening blood disorders like leukemia, a blood stem cell transplant from a matching donor can save a patient’s life.  To find out if you are a match for Dr. Kim or another patient in need, all you need to do is a simple cheek swab. If you are confirmed a match, you will be asked to undergo more detailed testing, at which point you may accept or decline to be a donor.

Grow the Registry with Cook Children's

Cook Children’s is partnered with Be The Match to connect patients like Dr. Kim to a matching blood stem cell donor. We are hosting two donor drive events at our medical centers next week. Drop in to undergo oral swab testing and to join the donor registry. 

Cook Children's Medical Center – Fort Worth 
Wednesday, Nov. 15 from noon to 2 p.m.
908 Southland Ave., Fort Worth, TX, 76104
Across the street from Kids Place
**UPDATED November 13, 2023**

Cook Children's Medical Center – Prosper
Thursday, Nov. 16 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
4100 W. University Drive, Prosper, TX, 75078
Classrooms 1621 and 1622

How to Become a Donor

If you cannot make it to either event, you can still become a donor. To join the Be The Match donor registry, complete the digital form here or text Swab4Kim to 61474. Then, order your swab kit for free online or give samples at any donor registration drive. 

Join the donor registry if you are:

• 18-40 years old
• In good health
• Willing to donate to any patient in need

Ways to Donate 

Peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) donation is the most commonly used method of collecting blood-forming cells. 90% of donors undergo this method, which involves collecting blood stem cells from circulating blood.

• Similar to donating plasma or platelets 
• Non-surgical outpatient process
• Takes 1-2 days to resume a regular routine
• Requires 5 days of shots leading up to donation

Marrow donation is less common and is completed while under general anesthesia. Only 10% of donors undergo this method, during which doctors use a needle to withdraw liquid marrow (where the body’s blood-forming cells are made) from the pelvic bone.

• No pain during donation
• Outpatient procedure
• Takes 2-7 days to resume a normal routine

After your stem cells are collected, they will be infused into the patient in need by IV. Your cells will then help their body create new bone marrow, giving them a crucial chance to beat their disease.

If you have any questions, contact Dr. Kim’s Be The Match representative, Gaytri Kapoor:

• Email: gkapoor2@nmdp.org 
• Phone: 281-780-1379