When I was told I needed a stem cell transplant in the summer of 2015 to treat my myelofibrosis — a rare type of bone cancer — I thought it’d be just like a blood transfusion. I’d take a few hours off and be in and out of the hospital the same day.

As I learned, it’s a bit more involved than that.

Identifying a stem cell donor to treat my myelofibrosis

The first thing I had to do was find a donor. But I only have...