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'Bionic Boy' Thanks Those Who Helped Save His Life

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Oct 11, 2009 4:32 pm US/Mountain

'Bionic Boy' Thanks Those Who Helped Save His Life

Reporting
Karen Leigh

DENVER (CBS4) ―

Click to enlarge 1 of 2: Jason Lansdown thanks a woman who donated blood that helped save his life.
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For many people blood donation is really a personal gift even though they may never know the people who benefit, but one young cancer survivor recently met the men and women who saved his life.

Jason Lansdown seems like any other teen. It's hard to even tell that he has a bionic leg.

"I had a second surgery this last December, just like a tune-up down there," Lansdown said.

The tune-up was on a high-tech prosthetic that replaced his right knee and tibia.

"When the implant is completely accepted by Jason's body it's going to be 70 percent his tissue and 30 percent metal," said Dr. Ronald Hugate, an orthopedic surgeon.

Doctors rebuilt Jason's leg 2 years ago when he was diagnosed with bone cancer.

"It is hard to go through cancer, chemotherapy and everything," Lansdown said.

He went through months of debilitating chemotherapy eased only by blood transfusions.

"You could feel it as it's coming in. You kind of feel more recharged almost. I mean they could see color coming back in my face and everything," Lansdown said. "So it's amazing what that does."

He had used 20 units of blood from donations made by complete strangers.

"It's like a part of them and they're giving it to me. It's truly amazing."

But Lansdown's donors are no longer strangers. He got to meet nine of the people who helped save his life.

"What an incredible feeling to be standing here before you with your blood flowing through my body," he told them. "There's no way to sufficiently express my thanks to you, my blood brothers and sisters."

There were hugs and smiles and the gratitude of a young man with his whole life ahead of him.

"It was very encouraging to see him," donor Mark Miller said. "That he was doing something so fruitful and positive with his life when otherwise he could have succumbed to that disease."

Miller has been giving blood regularly for 5 years.

"It's a very personal thing and a lot of people feel it's kind of a very spiritual thing because you're passing a benefit to someone who you may never know," Miller said. "It just gives you a good personal feeling."

"I can't believe I had this opportunity to thank people who've been instrumental in helping to save my life," Lansdown said. "So I'm very, very grateful for this."

Lansdown is now at Johns Hopkins University. He wants to be an orthopedic surgeon, like those who rebuilt his leg.

Additional Resources:

Drive for Life XII is the state's largest single day blood drive. Bonfils Blood Center teams up with the Denver Broncos to host the drive at Invesco Field at Mile High. Drive for Life XII is Tuesday, Oct. 13 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and includes autographs from Bronco players, free stadium food, and a variety of giveaways and entertainment. For the first time this year Bonfils will be offering blood typing and double red cell donation opportunities in addition to traditional blood donations.

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