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Lightsped,
The transplant can cure your friend's aplastic anemia. He's a prime candidate for a successful transplant because he's in his early 20s, is in good overall health, and has such a good donor match. It would be a shame for somebody that young to spend the rest of their life hoping medications can keep their blood counts from dropping. Transplants involve risk, but he's on the lowest side of risk scale.
You mentioned in an earlier thread that your friend has a few relatives. My advice is to see if there's somebody among his relatives or friends who could be with him at the hospital as much as possible during the transplant process. Ideally it would be one person who can arrange to be there for the entire 2 weeks, but the job can be shared instead. Transplant patients are often unable to keep track of their treatment status, remember their questions for the doctor or the instructions they hear, may feel alone and frightened, and may be confused if they are on pain medications. Although doctors and nurses will attend to his health needs, having a companion and advocate there as much of the time as possible can make a big difference.
I saw this firsthand during my wife's transplant. Other patients who had family members (or very close friends) with them had an easier time.
It's extremely generous of your family to look out for your friend and care for him during his recovery. If someone from your family or his family can go the extra mile for him by being a hospital companion, it would pay off.
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