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*Click here to view Brandiʻs story as featured on the front page of the Honolulu Star-Advertiser on April 15th.
What began as a simple cheek swab nearly a decade ago for JABSOM third-year medical student Brandi Mikami now has the power to save a life.
In 2017, while still an undergraduate, Mikami added her name to the national bone marrow donor registry during a physiology class, encouraged by professor Jason Higa.
“He was very passionate about it, saying, ‘Don't do this just for the extra credit,’” Mikami recalls. “Dr. Higa had previous students who actually matched, but they declined because they didn't want to proceed, and they just wanted the extra credit. So that stuck with me for a long time, and I wanted to consider the real-world impact of the decision. I decided to go on the registry and forgot about it for like five years.”
In 2023, an unexpected email changed that. Mikami learned she was a potential match for a young patient in need of a bone marrow or stem cell transplant.
“That was like a light bulb moment,” she said. “I thought, ‘Oh, this is the thing I did when I was a freshman in college.’”
What followed were months of phone calls, medical screenings, and blood tests designed to ensure donor and patient safety. Mikami remained committed through the process, even traveling to complete required testing while on vacation.
Although she ultimately wasn’t selected as the final donor, Mikami said she would do it all again.
“I went through the entire process, and I would do it again,” she said.
Now, nearly ten years after that first swab, Mikami has that chance. She has once again been identified as a potential match.
“They told me it’s pretty rare to be contacted more than once,” she said.
This time, the timing is more complicated. Mikami is deep into her third year at JABSOM, when students typically balance intensive clinical rotations while simultaneously preparing for residency applications at the end of the year. Still, she says the decision remains clear.
“Somebody’s life is way more important than my schedule getting slightly pushed back,” she said. “If it can help someone, that’s the main thing.”
As a medical student, Mikami now understands both sides of the hospital experience. That perspective has eased concerns about the donation process itself, which can include discomfort, fatigue, and aches for the donor.
“It’s at a very low cost to you to give someone the chance of living longer,” she said. “Some of these people are kids. I think we should give them a chance to experience life if they can. If someone were kind enough to do that for my family, I would be so grateful.”
"When we first held a donor drive after class, I have to admit that I was disappointed to find out from the program that some students matched, but backed out at the last minute," Higa said. “However, knowing that Brandi matched multiple times and remained 100% committed to donating every time makes up a thousand times more for that, and it really shows her dedication to saving lives and helping the local community."
Brandi’s story was featured in the April 15, 2026 edition of the Honolulu Star-Advertiser and we will continue to follow Brandi’s story and provide an update if she is accepted as a match.