This was a year that tested my inner resolve. My sister, Shirley, was diagnosed two years ago with stage four follicular lymphoma. Early this year, her doctors at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute near her home in Boston determined that her best chance for recovery would be through a sibling stem cell, bone marrow transplant. Becker and Sarah were tested first, but weren’t matches. Then Robert and I stepped forward. There is a one in four chance that a sibling will be a match, her doctors said, and I was that one.      At first I was jubilant that I would be able to help. But as the date neared and the medical “what ifs” were explained to me, my own fears surfaced. (Brother Robert kindly pointed out that I’m no ‘spring chicken’!) With the help and support of my own precious family and one particularly dear friend, my fears subsided and I was able to step forward to help.      The process included two trips to Boston – one for a medical checkup and the other for the donation itself. On Sept. 24, 2007, I arrived at the center for the start of a six-hour collection process, which was similar, I suppose, to dialysis. They did the equivalent of processing all of my blood three times, pulling blood from my left arm, plucking the cells they needed and returning the remainder back into my right arm. My job was to hold still. Movement meant a serious jab - to my left arm - with a very long needle. I only moved once when I dozed off, and that’s a mistake I won’t soon forget!      I was blessed to be able to be in Shirley’s room while they were infusing the cells into her blood stream later that day. The nurse took our picture. Neither of us looked very good, but it was the moment that matters. Now, we truly are blood sisters.      Shirley has been giving me updates every few weeks. By early January, my cells should be producing all of her blood. In fact, she will ultimately have my blood type.      The doctors told her that this transplant could effectively CURE her. And so far, all tests have produced results that are right on target. God bless her!      I “blogged” about the experience, and if you’re interested, you can check out the “Editor’s Blog” at our newspaper’s web site, hannibal.net. I titled all of the stories about this process “The Journey.”      Please celebrate this miracle of life with Shirley and me. It truly has been an amazing journey.