Tweeting and gaming to save a tech entrepreneur’s life
I’ve come across a lot of cool social stories while writing Social Six, but this is potentially one of my favorites.
Amit Gupta, a tech entrepreneur, has recently been diagnosed with leukemia. Having to undergo chemotherapy, Gupta also found out he will need a bone marrow transplant. But being a minority, finding a match isn’t easy. So Gupta, and all of his coworkers and friends, took to social media to encourage people to “Swab for Amit” to see if they are a bone marrow match. Gupta posted on his Tumblr blog, Twitter campaigns were launched, bone-marrow donor drives popped up, and Facebook pulsed with Gupta’s name.
After the passing of Steve Jobs, the industry is determined not to lose another brilliant creative mind. So, to up the ante, marketing guru Seth Godin offered $10,000 to anyone who is a match for Gupta. After others caught wind of this, more donations poured in and the pot is up to $30,000 for anyone who is even a match, in hopes of encouraging them to donate to Gupta. Networking events such as “spirits and swabs” are being held, and the hashtag #ISwabbedForAmit has taken off.
As Gupta put it, “Please help get the word out any way you can. My life quite literally depends on it.” This story shows the sheer power of social media. Reaching out to find a donor match was something that used to be for doctors. Now, with the power of Twitter, Gupta has the opportunity to put fate back in his own hands. While it is still inconclusive whether or not this will work (Gupta is still waiting for a match) this is truly an extraordinary story and an extraordinary use of social media.
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