Rocket Marching Band Trumpeter Answers Call as Blood Stem Cell Donor

Rocket Marching Band Trumpeter Answers Call as Blood Stem Cell Donor

University of Toledo Pharm.D. sophomore Luke Boyd, a trumpet player in the Rocket Marching Band, never would have guessed that joining the band would lead him to help save a life.

But that's what happened after he and fellow band members signed up for the blood stem cell registry through the NMDP, formerly the National Marrow Donor Program.

NMDP is a nonprofit organization that connects patients with life-threatening blood cancers and disorders to lifesaving blood stem cell and bone marrow donors. Each year, a representative from the organization comes to the Rocket Marching Band rehearsal to educate members about its work and provide the opportunity to be swabbed and enter the registry.

"When they explained it to me during the RMB rehearsal, they said that it would just be like a regular blood donation," Boyd said. "Having donated blood before, I felt like I could do it again in a different context; it would be just so much better."

The donation itself was straightforward.

In September 2025, Boyd received a quick cheek swab that records a donor's tissue type so the registry can match them with patients, and then a text from the NMDP in January about a potential match, followed by several blood draws to ensure that he was a full match for the donation.

By May, he was travelling to Boca Raton, Florida, for the donation, with all travel, food and lodging for Boyd and a guest covered by the NMDP.

"The donor representative asked if I was OK with travelling," Boyd said. "Then, about a week later, she booked all the flights and everything and then told me that I was going to Boca Raton in May."

After nearly four hours at the hospital, he was sent back to the hotel and caught a flight back home the next morning. With the whirlwind trip, his status as a literal lifesaver hadn't settled into his mind.

"It never hit me until I was done and they sent me the follow-up email," Boyd said. "In it, they were telling me about how you can contact this person after a year. And I was like, wow, it's a real person that I just helped save."

This Saturday, Sept. 26, the Rocket Marching Band's halftime show will be an uplifting tribute to the NMDP, featuring performances of "I'm Still Standing" by Elton John, "Be Great" by Jill Scott, "Fight Song" by Rachel Platten and "Rise Up" by Andra Day; a video about NMDP's mission; and recognition of local patients and donors, including four Rocket Marching Band members who have been matched as donors in recent years.

"Hopefully it brings attention to the success stories of when someone is a match and decides to step up and make that connection," said Dr. Andrew Rhodes, director of athletic bands, who has been working for several years with the NMDP to swab band members as potential donors. "I think Saturday's halftime show will be entertaining as well as a great stage where we can share an important message about a really great organization."

Volunteers from University of Toledo Medical Center will be working a table to swab anyone at the game who wishes to join the registry.

At-home swab kits and more information about NMDP are available on the NMDP website.