Thank you so much for helping my friend Helen Lam with her fundraiser to Leukemia and Lymphoma.

Please visit her fundraiser website:
http://my.e2rm.com/personalPage.aspx?registrationID=671781

Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=154675097467#/group.php?gid=94118891034

She is really proud to be part of the Nike Woman Marathon and to have a chance to make a difference.

She is also hosting a coming event on Sept 5th, its a club night at Aubar, so if you know anyone that is interested, please let her know!

Helen Lam
+1.778 889 6084
helenlam33@gmail.com

Thanks.
Patrick

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=78530&id=773524929&l=f38da159da

追思會促圓譚家宜心願.籲更多華人登記捐幹細胞

本報記者

    血癌病患譚家宜在與病魔搏鬥兩年半後，於上周四在北溫獅門醫院（Lions Gate Hospital）過世，得年38歲。曾為譚家宜及家人提供多方幫助的萬錦市天主教中華殉道聖人堂於昨晚舉辦追思彌撒，讚揚她短暫而充實的一生，並呼籲社會特別是華人社區幫助完成譚家宜的心願，登記成為志願幹細胞及骨髓捐贈者，拯救其他病患的生命。

    出席追思會的譚家宜叔父譚啟綱表示，譚母劉慕平及哥哥Patrick目前在溫哥華打理定於下周四(五月七日)舉行的譚家宜葬禮。他們一方面為失去家宜而傷心難過，另一方面亦為家宜終於可以擺脫病痛折磨，返回天國感到釋懷。他們知道在多倫多有很多關心他們一家的朋友，在家宜生前及去世後向他們表達問候，他們對此表達謝意。

    譚啟綱表示，家宜的一生雖然短暫，但充滿勇氣和力量，特別是以自己的努力喚起社會對骨髓捐贈的認識和支持。她的人生是有意義的，她取得了我們活著的人尚無法企及的成就。作為她的親人感到無比驕傲。他表示，家宜的家人除感謝各界長期來的協助，也希望華裔人士繼續參與捐贈幹細胞及骨髓登記，而這也是譚家宜的遺願。

譚家宜葬禮下周四溫市舉行

    譚家宜於2006年12月作例行的身體檢查時，意外發現患上急性骨髓性白血病(Acute Myeloid Leukemia) ，並於同年接受化療，之後她的白血病又在去年4月復發。

    因為全球只有30萬華人登記成為捐贈者，僅有5%的機會找到合適的幹細胞。多倫多小麗莎骨髓基金會及王裕佳醫生等發起全球華裔幹細胞登記行動，得到加拿大華人團體的熱烈響應。總計在多倫多及溫哥華的活動中，共收集到超過2,300個樣本，隨後活動又移至香港和美國進行，反應也十分熱烈。此後還曾透過接觸英文媒體，並設立互聯網設網站http://www.SaveCarolyn.com，呼籲捐贈者登記捐骨髓。雖然譚家宜最終有找到合適的骨髓樣本，但由於她已接受第三輪化療，身體非常虛弱，未能進行移植手術。為就近療養，譚家宜在今年一月自多倫多搬至卑詩北溫居住。她最後不敵病魔，於上周四下午平靜離世。

    出席追思彌撒的王裕佳醫生表示，他日前剛剛與在溫哥華的家宜母親通過電話，在四周前家宜由多倫多搬住卑詩之前，他還有同她一起吃飯，此後還通過電郵聯絡。王裕佳醫表示，在為家宜尋找配合的骨髓配型期間，有三千多位華裔人士登記成為志願骨髓及幹細胞捐贈者，有數位與家宜情況類似的病患因此找到合適的骨髓。家宜雖然離世，但她間接挽救了其他病患者的生命。王裕佳表示，加拿大目前正在籌建臍帶血庫，未來它將成為更有效的挽救生命的方式。而華人社區不日亦將展開捐贈臍帶血的推廣教育活動。

身為母親的我已經竭盡全力，身為女兒的她已經全力以赴，身為朋友的你已共度一段難忘的歲   月。大家的心都在震動，感歎生命的脆弱無常。雖然家宜在紅塵裡的出現與離開是如斯的短暫，她的精神，勇氣，鬥志卻永遠紮根於我們腦海之中！我們實應以她為榮。

若我們節哀，她的靈體思維便會變得穩定。若我們看破生死，她便可突破陰陽。若我們放下悲傷，她便可超脫痛苦，飛越天界，不再輪回受苦。請不要為家宜的離去而傷感。請助我實踐她的遺願，保持幹細胞捐贈的推廣，拯救無耐的華裔血癌病患者。家宜臨終訴說，血癌並非絕對的絕症，乾細胞並非絕對的難求，但時間是絕對的殺手。

馬利蘭州移植告吹後，家宜不甘在多倫多坐以待斃。她言行一致，三日內移居溫哥華。先喜柳暗花明，在溫找到佩對作移植。後悲化療後，心臟過弱，力不從心，移植再道告吹，終踏上人生最後的旅程。

雖然家宜往生極樂，但過去一年自願者對推廣幹細胞捐贈所付出的勞力並無白費。加國血庫豋記網站的官方語言，歷年只有英語法語。現已加入漢語。加國血庫測試綿花捧歷來有限額管制，故去年我們雖付現金向美國購買及求助。現在加國血庫無限量免費供給綿花捧以支持推廣活動。

請再一次鼓勵你身邊的家人親戚朋友，付諸行動，豋記為幹細胞捐贈者，救救仍在死亡邊緣爭扎的華裔血癌病患者，給他們一生存希望，讓他們能與家人繼續一起生活。

譚家宜母親
2009/4/29

Order of Service

Visitation

May 6, 2009 (Wednesday) 5:00pm to 8:00pm
Richmond Funeral Home
8420 Cambie Road, Richmond, BC, Canada V6X 1K1
Tel: +1 (604) 273-3748

Memorial Service

May 7, 2009 (Thursday) 10:00am
Richmond Funeral Home
8420 Cambie Road, Richmond, BC, Canada V6X 1K1
Tel: +1 (604) 273-3748

Crematorium

May 7, 2009 (Thursday) 11:45am
Vancouver Memorial Crematorium
5505 Fraser Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada V5W 2Z3
Tel: +1 (604) 325-8251

Lunch Reception

May 7, 2009 (Thursday) 1:00pm
Kirin Restaurant
200 Three West Centre, 7900 Westminster Highway, Richmond, BC, Canada V6X 1A5
Tel: +1 (604) 303-8833

*It is Carolyn’s wish to minimize black clothing at the service.  White is preferred.

Donating to the Leukemia Cause

Canada

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada
This is the charity that Carolyn did her marathon for back in 2007.  She raised C$15,000 for them.
Please click here to donate online, and remember to specify “In the Memory of Carolyn Tam”.
Or you can send a check payable to “The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada” to 310-1682 West 7th Avenue, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6J 4S6, with return address, and remember to write “In Memory of Carolyn Tam” on the back. A receipt will be sent to you in return.

Hong Kong

The Hong Kong Bone Marrow Donor Registry
Please send your donation check made payable to “Hong Kong Red Cross” with marking of “In the memory of Carolyn Tam (#555599)” at the back of the check, to “Hong Kong Red Cross Headquarters, 33 Harcourt Road, Hong Kong”. If donation receipt is needed, please also mark your mailing address at the back of the check.

Sending Carolyn Flowers

Fannie’s Florist Limited
Pre-arrangement with this florist in Vancouver has been made so that you can place your order by phone or email and have the flowers delivered to the funeral home.
It can be reached at +1.888.303.3927 or by email at info@fannieflorist.ca.

Please provide the following information:
a) This order is for Carolyn Tam
b) Budget (C$100 and up)
c) Credit card info

1970 – 2009

At 3pm on April 23, 2009, Carolyn was set free from the suffering of this world, with her Mother & brother, Uncle & Aunt by her side.

The past two and a half year has been such a physical and emotional roller coaster for Carolyn, her family, her friends,  and everyone who became part of her life during this time.

Miracles happened when there were seemingly no hopes.  Dreams were dashed when they were the only chance you’ve got.  Friends were made.  Lives were saved.

Its over now.  And Carolyn is now at a better place.

Funeral will take place in Vancouver, Canada on May 7th.  If you would like to attend, please RSVP by clicking here for funeral detail, or visit www.SaveCarolyn.com in the coming week.

For most of you who will not be able to attend, please do this for Carolyn one last time by forwarding the following link to five close friends, and making sure everyone of them become a bone marrow donor.

http://www.SaveCarolyn.com/be-a-donor/

Sincerely,

Family of Carolyn Tam

New Year.

The original plan was for my Uncle Lawrence from Vancouver to spend a month in Baltimore to help Mom out before and after the transplant.  When things fell through and we had to return to Toronto, my dear Uncle insisted on spending the month in Toronto anyway to help out and spend Christmas and New Year’s with Mom and I.

It may be mundane at times – three adults with no particular daily schedule except to Princess Margaret Hospital for check ups every other day, but it was sweet and it was precious family time that I’ll always be able to look back at to marvel over the love they have for me. 

We had people over for Chinese hot-pot on Christmas night, and the three of us rung in 2009 with Maria and Tony (West Side Story) on TV.

In the first week of the New Year (a week or so before Uncle Lawrence’s scheduled return to Vancouver), there was still no concrete next step on the horizon – we were waiting for OHIP’s response to our re-application for funding a different procedure at a different hospital in the States.  Assuming that it would take more than a few weeks to hear back from OHIP, and with Chinese New Year around the corner on Jan 26th, we started wondering:  Is it realistic for Mom and I to fly to Vancouver to ring in the Year of the Ox?

New Home.

Very few hospitals in North America offer Haplo-transplant for patients in remission, and even fewer would do it for someone who is not.  Fred Hutchison in Seattle is one of the few who has a protocol for not-in-remission Haplo-transplant, but their program can only take a couple of patients at a time and could not take me right away.  City of Hope in L.A. is the other possible treatment centre, but my blast cells are up to 40% and are now in the peripheral blood, so there is a chance that I may not be eligible for the protocol.  There were a lot of unknowns.  It seemed that it would be mostly waiting for answers in the immediate months, and should I get lucky with either hospital, they are both out West anyway.

So we started wondering again:  If  Mom and I were to just go for regular check ups twice a week while we waited for “The Plan” to materialize, can we do that in Vancouver with family and relatives around to help out?

On Monday Jan 5, 2009, I shared our thoughts about Vancouver with my Hematologist.  By the following Monday, with the help of Uncle Lawrence, we packed up my entire apartment for storage.  And by Tuesday Jan 13, the three of us were on the plane West bound.

The day after our arrival I made my first visit to the Hemotology Daycare Unit at Vancouver General Hospital who was monitoring my blood levels and physical condition thewhile we waited in Vancouver.  Unfortunately for me, I soon developed a fever due to an infection at my Hickman line site, so the line was removed right away and I spent everyday of the first two weeks in Vancouver between the hospital for anti-biotics and home in bed.

On Jan 26th, with the help of a combination of painkillers and the strength of the Ox, I made it out to Chinese New Year/ my dear friend Susana’s B-day dinner with a huge smile and a bigger appetite!

New Hope.

When we left Toronto on Jan 13,  I left believing that being closer to family and relatives both physically and mentally were what Mom and I really needed, in order to continue down this in this uncertain journey.  Even though I did not know when or whether things will turn out for the better or worse, I trusted that whatever is supposed to happen will happen.

On Wednesday Jan 28th, I went to my new Hematologist at VGH for a post-infection check up.  Afterwards, he told me that VGH has had considerable success with mismatched cord blood transplant.  ‘Mismatched’ means the donor’s stem cells does not match all of the recipient’s antigens, which you have to match 6 for cord blood transplant and 10 for unrelated donor transplant.

Then completely unexpectedly, he told me that they have identified a couple of 4 out of 6 antigen-matched cord blood units for me!!!!  Although first I have to go through a round of chemo to try and put my leukemia back in remission, and if all goes well, then we hope to proceed with a transplant this Spring!

Cord blood transplant, like haplo transplant, is relatively new compared to unrelated donor matched transplant.  There are certainly different opinions about about their long term success rate.  But I right now, I am starting to feel like there may be hope again (which trust me was hard to dig up after coming home from Johns Hopkins).  Not to mention of all places, Vancouver is The Ideal location I want to have the transplant being closer to family and relatives.

It’s been a week since I’ve been at the hospital for my re-induction chemo, and is expected to stay approximately 1 month.  Hopefully, it will successfully bring me into remission, so that I will be eligible for transplant in the Spring!

Miss you Toronto!

And thanks for taking me in Vancouver!

Click here for your local Registry’s link and REGISTER TODAY to help Carolyn and Others.

Please Sponsor Heather Lloyd

Click here to access her Pledge Page for an online donation

My Personal Experience as a Bone Marrow Donor – Brian E. Beattie

Brian E. Beattie
Last Modified: December 5, 2002

Dear Reader…

The following may be used to promote the bone marrow registry program world wide but must not be altered in any way shape or form. My name and email address must accompany my “diary.”

My only hope is that this will draw more people into the registry and as a result of this hopefully save the lives of those who need a bone marrow transplant.

Sincerely,

Brian E. Beattie

Not to be altered or reproduced in any shape or form without the written permission from the author,

Brian E. Beattie

140 McCurdy Drive

Kanata – Ontario

K2L-2Z6

Canada

I attended a bone marrow information session at the Ottawa General Hospital in Ottawa, Ontario Canada. The information session involved a brief overview of the bone marrow program, a question/answer period and a take home information booklet. Shortly afterwards I signed the permission form to get involved in the bone marrow program. At this point a small blood sample was taken from me. (December 1990)

I had my HLA typing done and the first four antigens A + B was recorded on the national registry (for me this happened at the Ottawa Red Cross). The process was painless – just a few small vials of blood were required, 10-15 minutes and I was out of there.

A request came into me that I was a possible match for a bone marrow harvest.

I was requested to come to the Ottawa Red Cross to have a DR test performed. Shortly afterwards I was notified that I was not a match but the results of my blood tests would be kept on the computer.

I was informed that I may be a possible match for another patient. I had honestly forgotten about the registry and to be called caught me off guard. I spoke with someone from the Red Cross who asked me if I could come in a week later to have a blood test performed (MLC).

I came into the Ottawa Red Cross to have a MLC test done. I was told that it would be three weeks to three months before I would hear a result on whether I was a match or not. I thought about it constantly and down deep I had a gut feeling that I would be a match but didn’t get to excited in case I proved not to be a match.

I remember this one exactly. Three weeks to the day and 8:20 a.m. the bone marrow co-ordinator at the Ottawa Red Cross called me at work and asked if I was sitting down (by the way I was). They informed me that I was a match for “my patient”. The next few moments were hard to describe, sort of a mixture between a real high to complete bewilderment. It was extremely hard for me to concentrate on work the remainder of that day as my mind was going 100 miles per hour wondering who the patient was, where do they live, what will my surgery be like, what is the patient feeling, all these questions…. I wanted to get things rolling right away so I called my wife at home to see if she could bring our three children to the baby sitter that same afternoon so we could meet with one of the doctors from the Ottawa Red Cross. Later that afternoon I along with my wife attended the meeting and they (Doctor and bone marrow co-ordinator) answered any questions we had. We also viewed a short promo film which included a small segment on the actual surgical procedure.

I went to my doctor and there had a complete pre-harvest workup which included – two chest x-rays, blood work, urine analysis, a complete physical and an ECG. The purpose of this physical is to ensure the donor can safely go through the surgery with a general anesthetic. The results of these tests were picked up the next day by the bone marrow co-ordinator of the Red Cross. At this point I felt like I was caught in a whirl wind as many things were starting to occur at the same time.

I went to the Red Cross again where they removed 15 vials of blood from me that would be sent to the hospital of where “my” patient resides. These samples would be tested further to ensure a match with that of the patient. At about the 11th vial I started to have this hot flash, it felt as if someone were holding a torch over my body. During the next few moments I had nurses throw cold compresses about my head and shoulders. Although I was very embarrassed it felt good to be cooled down. The nurses had everything in control and told me that this happens now and again and not to worry about it.

After my visit to the Red Cross I went to the Ottawa General Hospital for (yes you got it… more blood work) I was by now wishing I had a valve installed on the inner side of my arm. They also did a urine test. After a few moments of bouncing from nurse to nurse I met with one of the two surgeons that would be performing the harvest. I also met with the bone marrow co-ordinator from the Ottawa General Hospital at this time she answered any further questions that I had, they also hold me my date of when the surgery would be held. My surgery date would be 23 days from today!

I went to the Ottawa Red Cross and gave one unit of my blood that would be given back to me while I was in the recovery/day care unit on the day of my surgery. During this donation “my oil light came on again” this was now as previous embarrassing. I felt like crawling under the chair that by now they had me lying in.

From the date that I was informed that I was a positive match to the date of my surgery I can honestly say that I thought about the bone marrow program and “my” patient several dozen times a day. I wanted to tell everyone that I spoke with, matter of fact if you ask my work colloquies they would probably say that’s all I spoke about. My friends and family also heard the same probably more as I was telling them all about the dreaded disease that now is starting to be tamed-Leukemia.

As a user of email and access to the Internet I had access to several newsreader groups from which I obtained a wealth of information. The most valuable information on the “net” came from a monitored news group called BMT-TALK, (Bone Marrow Talk). I sent out a query on the email asking if anyone was a donor or about to become a donor. This was really neat as within hours I had a response from a lady who lived here in the Ottawa-Carleton area and also was about to become a B.M.D. (Bone Marrow Donor). This was amazing as this news posting goes world wide and the chance of locating someone in my own city was neat ! We wrote to each other telling of our experiences as we went through the workup process, separate but together via e-mail.

Well here I am only 24 hours and I’ll be the donor on the table. I am now starting to get nervous. About 5:30 p.m. I receive a call from the Ottawa General Hospital asking me to be at the hospital at 6:50 a.m. the next morning. I am not to eat or drink anything after midnight – I think I can handle this request. For a good part of the night I toss and turn then finally drifted off to sleep…

Well this is it. The result of what I am about to do may possibly save the life of someone who I do not know. My wife and I got up this morning at about 5:50 a.m. Now since I can’t eat or drink anything because of my 8:00 a.m. surgery I shower and was all set to go at 6:15. My wife, God bless her, felt my nervous excitement and optioned not to eat breakfast.

We arrive at the hospital at 6:30 a.m.(twenty minutes early). We check in at the admissions office and then proceed to the day surgery unit where we wait in the near dark waiting room. After about 15 minutes of nervously flipping through magazines the nurse came out and asked me to come in and get changed into the hospital “greens”. I was then assigned my bed, the Nurse who was assigned to prep me was simply wonderful. I was still nervous my wife and I said a short prayer together for me and for the patient who the following day would receive my bone marrow via intravenous (I.V.).

At about 7:45 a.m. the porter showed up to bring me to the operating room. On the way I spot the bone marrow co-ordinator from the Ottawa Red Cross who was himself waiting to get into the “greens” as he was going to be video taping my operation. This video would later be used to assist those who like myself were positive matches and would be going through the donation procedure.

7:50 a.m. and I’m laying on the stretcher outside the operating room waiting for the anesthetist to show. As I strain my neck to sneak a peak through the window of the operating room I see a beehive of activity, my stomach is now a ball of nerves. Finally after a few more minutes (which feels like hours) I am wheeled into the operating room. The room appears smaller than I envisioned it – actual size maybe 12×15 ? What I do notice first is the anesthetic machine and the tables and tables of surgical instruments. Within minutes of being wheeled into the room one of the nurses puts an I.V. line into my left hand – painless. Another is placing heart monitor pads on my chest and left side of my back, while she is doing that another is placing a blood oxygen clip on one of my fingers on my left hand. Talk about being wired for sound ! I now hear a beep-beep-beep from my heart monitor – If I didn’t know any better I would say one of the nurses was playing Nintendo… The bone marrow co-ordinator from the Ottawa Red Cross calls out my name from across the room. He started video taping me as soon as I entered the operating room, this video for me is something that I will provide me lifetime of memories and the Red Cross a educational tool.

The nurses and surgeons are all there, I count 11 total. I’m starting to get very drowsy now and it is really hard to find the urge to drift off – but I am determined to give it my best shot (as can be seen in the video). The anesthetist gives me a small drink of very bitter antacid, YUCK ! The next few seconds are a blur but I hear the anesthetist telling me to breathe the oxygen and GO TO SLEEP! What happened next ? Lights out baby… that’s it… I was outa there !!

The next thing I remember is I have an extremely sore throat and a mask of some sort on my face. Not knowing where I was I was babbling not understanding what I was saying but still speaking. I remember seeing the bone marrow co-ordinator briefly but then drifted off to sleep. I didn’t know it but I was in the recovery room and the operation was over – successful but sore.

Wow, I can hardly wait to view the video.

I was in the operating room from 8:00 to 9:00 a.m., then wheeled into the recovery room from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m., then off to the day care unit where I started out earlier in the morning.

The time now is 10:00 and I am feeling much better, less groggy but a little sore in my lower back. I still have the I.V. in my left hand which is accepting my unit of blood that I had given at the Red Cross a week earlier. It took about three hours to transfuse me and while I am in my bed the bone marrow co-ordinator shows up with a goodie bag.

My wife at this point takes over the video camera as I am presented with some parting gifts from the Red Cross (I feel like a game show contestant). I am given a couple large Red Cross note pads, a coffee mug, a T-shirt and heavy duty sweat shirt with a really neat logo of a heart and two faces looking at each other each in differant colors.

I left the hospital at about 3 p.m. (the same day) and headed home. Once I got home I went to bed and slept until early evening, got up for about 1.5 hrs and then off to bed again where I slept until mid morning the next day. I got up (very slowly) and walked about realizing this was not as bad as I thought it was going to be.

Over the next several days I’d be lying if I said I didn’t hurt. It was quite painful – BUT thank goodness for those little yellow pain pills. “Take a trip and never leave the house”. Part of the pain was a stabbing pain that felt like an electric shock going down my right leg. This all pretty much disappeared after about the one week time frame – just some stiffness hung around (this I figured just to keep me humble).

One week later I am pretty much back too normal – I still have a feeling of stiffness in my hip joint area. I wonder who the patient is, where do they live and most of all I wonder how is he/she doing? You have to put this all in perspective and say what I am going through is nothing to what “my” patient must be going through. I am back to work eight days post operative and have only taken the extra time as I have an excellent employer.

I am back to work – I find that my energy level dwindles off during the mid afternoon but with each day post operative I find myself getting completely back to normal. Matter of fact I would if asked (the Red Cross removes my name from the active list for a period of one year) give bone marrow again without any hesitation at all.

I put this diary together and finally after 22 days post operative I feel completely normal. I’ve posted this on the Internet not for my glory but to encourage those of you who have not yet signed up on the national registry. Contact your local Red Cross for more information.

I just found out in a letter that I received from the parents of my bone marrow recipient that “my patient” is a 6 year old girl and doing well (at 100+ days post operative). This is the highlight of my year and I look forward to the day when I might get to meet her. At this time I have written a letter to “my patient’s family” and “my patient”. I hope all is well for her and her family ?

Today I contacted the Red Cross here in Ottawa for an update on the little girl and received very sad news. Apparently she relapsed back into active Cancer (two months ago). As per the contacts at the Red Cross she is undergoing more chemo sessions. They are unable to give me a current up to date status on the little girls condition.

This news was very hard for me to comprehend. My feelings are that of confusion, anger, followed by sadness and a sincere feeling to reach out to that family (wherever they might be) and help them in any way possible.

My prayer is that God will reach down with His loving arms and wrap this family in a protective layer of love and understanding.

Today I was contacted by the Red Cross and they told limited information. The little girl is at home in “stable” condition – no other information was provided. I wonder how she is doing, what part of North America she lives in and what plan of action her doctors are planning to take. (These and about 10,000 other questions).

One year post operative and I finally get my name placed on the active bone marrow registry. My patient is attending school and and apparently doing well considering she has relapsed. She is undergoing conventional methods of cancer treatment at this time.

Since this was my one year anniversary I gave the Red Cross permission to release my name and address to my patient as well as place my name back on the unrelated bone marrow registry “active list.”

Received a call from the bone marrow co-ordinator in Ottawa saying that they had heard from the Vancouver, Canada co-ordination center. I was given the name and address of my patient. She is now seven years old and lives in Texas, U.S.A.

When I was given her name and address it all of a sudden hit me that this to me was no longer an anonymous little girl but someone’s precious gem. I would love to meet this little person and her family some day. Maybe they would like to visit Canada’s capital and enjoy the goodness that God has given us all. Maybe some day…

Today I received a wonderful letter – actually it was two in one. One was a hand written letter from “my patient”, the other was from her Mom. The nicest part was a photo of her – what an angel !

I got up enough courage to call her home telephone. You know it’s strange, for the past year I constantly thought about the moment when I could get in touch with her and her family and when the actual moment arrived I was scared. Did they want to hear from me ? Was I intruding upon them ? The phone rang once, twice then……

An answering machine – RATS ! ! !

So I left a short greeting along with my name and telephone number.

This happened on Saturday morning.

I did not hear back from the family and I have two days to decide on whether to make a trip to Texas for a visit or stay put here (with lots of SNOW-SNOW-SNOW and COLD-COLD-COLD). You see right now there is a big seat sale on the Airlines (Canadian Airlines and Americian Airlines) but I have to buy the tickets before January 19 to get in on the sale. I called the family at about 6:15 p.m. today and her Mom answered the phone. To say the least my tongue was tied and I hardly knew what to say. I spoke with her Mom and Dad and boy do they have a southern drawl – real neat!

Well today I arranged a flight for a family of five (Myself, my wife and our three young children) – what an adventure – what a holiday. Everyone in my family is looking forward to it – especially the children who have never been out of Canada must less out of our Province. The idea of being on a plane is something they have never experienced. We fly from Ottawa to Toronto then Toronto to Dallas on the 19th of February. We have friends in Plano, Texas and although we have not firmed up plans yet we already have friends there and our “new” friends. Part of the new family is now “Blood related” as she has my bone marrow. Neat eh ! The only thing that is hurting us about going to the U.S.A. is the value of the Canadian dollar – now only worth about .60 cents or in other words the U.S. dollar is worth $1.40 in Canada. Oh well – it will be worth it all regardless of cost.

Called to my bone marrow family in Dallas to let them know what day and time we would be flying down. What came next cannot be described as nothing less than tragic. The little girl age 7 passed away on February 1^st. I felt the loss as if it were one of my own children. I spoke with her Mom and Dad and they still expressed an interest to meet us – the feeling was mutual. They will be meeting us at the airport and that I’m sure will be a difficult time for both families.

We arrived in Dallas after a long hard flight from Ottawa, Canada.

When we left it was near minus 30 – when we arrived in Dallas it was 95 degrees. We spent several special times together over those10 days. We also spent many days by ourselves and put over 1200 miles on the rental car we were using. It was really hot – it turned out that the day we arrived it was the start of a major heat wave. Each day was 98 degrees or hotter (the hottest got up to 103 degrees). The last day we stayed dropped to the normal low of near 32 degrees. What a change! The flight back home was very, very rough and long. A lot of people were sick because of the air turbulence. We flew Dallas to Toronto and Toronto to Ottawa. After arriving home at 11:00 p.m. Ottawa time

I noticed that we were missing one bag – the bag that held all our souvenirs and the kids special things that they picked up while at a rodeo. I called the American airline we flew and they said “oh that’s too bad, I then guess it’s gone”. I then called the Canadian airline and they said they would do their best. Two hours later I got a call saying my bag turned up on another flight from Dallas into Toronto and that they would bring it out that same evening (in a driving snow storm). Talk about great customer service!

I’ve received several hundreds of emails and personal letters from kind folks from all over the world. my contact with the family has been once in the past two years. I would like to have more but if this were meant to be I again say that don’t lift up Brian Beattie but this little girl’s family in your daily thoughts and prayers.

I would like to thank those who helped me through this interesting procedure. The people at the Red Cross in Ottawa, Ontario Canada. The nurses, surgeons and staff at the Ottawa General Hospital. My wonderful wife and children and last but not least Jesus Christ to whom I and my family have given our lives to.

Sign up today ! You never know, you just may end helping save someone’s life ! Would I do it again – you betcha, in an instant.

Brian E. Beattie

Kanata, Ontario – Canada

K2L-2Z6

Email: brian-beattie@sympatico.ca

Not to be altered in any shape or form without the written permission from the author, Brian E. Beattie

Click here for your local Registry’s link and REGISTER TODAY to help Carolyn and Others.

Local Chinese Group Launch Month Long Stem Cell Awareness Campaign

For Immediate Release

華人社區請求你參與「就是你」(Be the One)捐贈幹細胞

本地華人社團啟動長達一個月的幹細胞認知運動

加拿大的OneMatch幹細胞及骨髓網絡（OneMatch Stem Cell and Marrow Network）很高興和加華幹細胞協會（OtherHalf – Chinese Stem Cell Initiative）合作，公佈展開一個提高意識運動﹐目的在爭取更多華人在加國及全球登記成為幹細胞捐贈者。這運動的焦點環節為2月21日假萬錦廣場（3255 Hwy. 7, East）舉行的提高意識活動(Awareness Event)。

需要幹細包移植的病人，包括癌症、淋巴瘤(lymphoma )、骨髓瘤(lymyeloma)、其他免疫系統及基因紊亂症患者，當中只有三成可以在自己的家人中找到吻合的幹細胞，其餘七成病人則要倚靠沒親屬關係捐贈者的慷慨支持。由於在同一種族人士當中找到吻合幹細胞遠較不同種族為高，所以OneMatch幹細胞及骨髓網絡需要有更多不同族裔的捐贈者登記。在任何一刻，最少有600名面對生命危險的加拿大病患者需要接受幹細胞移植手術。

OneMatch幹細胞及骨髓登記處的行政總裁Sue Smith表示：「透過和加華幹細胞協會合作﹐OneMatch及加拿大血液局（Canadian Blood Services）彰顯及結集社區的力量﹐以身作則成為一個領導榜樣，不單止令為社區內有需要接受幹細胞移植的病人更易找到幹細胞配對，同時全球的華人社區亦可受惠。」她亦表示﹕「我請求其他不同族裔社群跟隨這個例子，與OneMatch並肩合作，向我們的共同目標邁進﹐令OneMatch幹細胞及骨髓登記冊上所有不同族裔的登記人數都同時增加。」

不但要幫助加拿大的華人﹐同時也要幫助全球的華人﹐這是加華幹細胞協會的聯合主席Susan Go發起這次捐贈運動及提高意識活動的主要原因。「華人社區再不能自滿地抱著『這不會是我』的態度﹐尤其是當華人在OneMatch網絡的登記比例偏低的時候。作為一個社群﹐華人現在就要有所行動﹐集合全社區的力量盡力增加華人在加拿大和全球的登記數字。」

在未來四星期﹐加華幹細胞協會籌備了多項活動﹐包括推出網頁http://www.chinesestemcell.ca﹑在Rogers Centre 1月23、24、25日的農曆新年活動中設置資料攤位、在YouTube及Facebook上開展針對年輕人的招募活動﹐以及2月21日在萬錦廣場舉行提高意識活動﹐提醒社區捐贈幹細胞的迫切性。

如果你有興趣成為可救人一命的捐贈者，今天便請登上www.onematch.ca加入OneMatch﹐或致電加拿大血液局1-888-2 DONATE (1-888-236-6283)。
關於加華幹細胞協會

現時在加國約有10名加拿大華裔病人正等待非親屬幹細胞捐贈，在全球幹細胞捐贈資料庫超過12,000,000個捐贈登記中，只有少於500,000個登記者是華裔。加華幹細胞協會由一班來自不同背景的市民創辦﹐希望把這個逼切情況告知廣大華裔社群。我們和加拿大幹細胞仲介OneMatch合作，目標是令更多華人到幹細胞登記處登記。憑借OneMatch、病人、不同社區組織、醫務專家及傳媒專才的幫助﹐我們舉辦提高意識運動﹐致力解除幹細胞的謎團﹐以及教育公眾有關捐贈常識。我們衷心希望得到華人社區支持﹐以及鼓勵到所有華裔加拿大人到OneMatch登記成為幹細胞捐贈者。我們希望大家認識到如果能救到一個生命﹐感覺會是多麼良好。就是你(Be the One) ﹐請你挺身而出﹐成為拯救生命的另一半( the Other Half)。

加拿大血液局/OneMatch
加拿大血液局是一個全國性、非牟利慈善機構，專責管理加國除魁省以外所有省份的血液及血液相關產品的供應。加拿大血液局同時監察OneMatch幹細胞及骨髓網絡，以及在全國領導器官及組織的捐贈與移植。加拿大血液局負責運作40個固定的收集中心﹐以及每年超過19,000個捐贈站，加拿大血液局的營運資金由各省及特區的衛生廳提供，聯邦政府透過加拿大衛生部(Health Canada)負責監管血液管理系統。更多詳情，可瀏覽網址www.blood.ca。
Click here for your local Registry’s link and REGISTER TODAY to help Carolyn and Others.

Toronto, January 22, 2009 – Canada’s OneMatch Stem Cell and Marrow Network is pleased to partner with OtherHalf – Chinese Stem Cell Initiative by announcing an awareness campaign aimed directly at increasing the number of Chinese stem cell registrants in Canada and throughout the world.  The campaign will culminate with an Awareness Event at First Markham Place, 3255 Hwy. #7, East, Markham, Ontario, on February 21^st.

Patients needing stem cells transplants include those suffering from cancers, lymphoma, myeloma and other immune and genetic disorders. Only 30 per cent of them can typically find a match within their own family, while the other 70 per cent must depend on the generosity of unrelated donors. Because the likelihood of finding a match is far greater within one’s own ethnic group, more donors from diverse backgrounds are needed to sign up for the OneMatch Stem Cell and Marrow Network. Equally, at any given time at least 600 Canadian patients facing life-threatening illnesses are in need of a stem cell transplant.

“By partnering with groups such as OtherHalf – Chinese Stem Cell Initiative, OneMatch and Canadian Blood Services, recognize and embrace the power of community; to lead by example by making stem cell transplants more readily available for patients not only within their community, but within Chinese communities around the world,” confirms Sue Smith, Executive Director, OneMatch Stem Cell and Marrow Registry.  “I ask for other diverse groups to follow this example and work together side-by-side with OneMatch towards our collective goal of increasing all diversities on OneMatch Stem Cell and Marrow Registry.”

Helping the Chinese community not just in Canada but around the world is at the centre of Susan Go, Co-chair of OtherHalf – Chinese Stem Cell Initiative’s reason for holding the campaign and awareness event.   “As a community we can no longer be complacent thinking, ‘it will not be me’ when clearly our community is underrepresented on the OneMatch Network.  As a group we needed action now from all parts of our community to make sure we have done everything within our power to increase the number of Chinese registrants here in Canada and around the world.”

There are many activities the group has planned over the next four weeks from the launch of http://www.chinesestemcell.ca, an information booth at the CNY Rogers Centre event on Jan. 23, 24 and 25 and youth focused recruitment activities on YouTube and Facebook all centred around promoting the immediate need and the February 21^st Awareness Event at First Markham Place.

If you’re interested in becoming the one match to save someone’s life, join OneMatch today by logging onto www.onematch.ca or calling Canadian Blood Services at 1 888 2 DONATE (1 888 236-6283).

About OtherHalf Chinese Stem Cell Initiative

Currently there are about 10 Chinese Canadian patients waiting for unrelated stem cell donors in Canada alone.  Out of over 12 million donors registered in the Bone Marrow Donors Worldwide database less than 500,000 of these registrants are of Chinese origin.

OtherHalf—Chinese Stem Cell Initiative was started by a group of concerned citizens from diverse backgrounds who wanted to make this dire situation known to the Chinese public.  In collaboration with OneMatch, the Canadian stem cell agency, our goal is to increase the number of registrants of Chinese origin in the stem cell registry.  With help from OneMatch, patients, various community organizations, medical experts, and media specialists, we are conducting awareness campaigns to deflect myths and educate the public about stem cell donation.  It is our sincere hope that this will motivate the Chinese community to champion this initiative and encourage all Chinese Canadians to register as stem cell donors with OneMatch.

We would like people to think how good they would feel if they could save a life… BE THE ONE.  Be the ‘other half’ to save a life.

Click here for your local Registry’s link and REGISTER TODAY to help Carolyn and Others.

About Canadian Blood Services/OneMatch

Canadian Blood Services is a national, not-for-profit charitable organization that manages the supply of blood and blood products in all provinces and territories outside of Quebec. Canadian Blood Services also oversees the OneMatch Stem Cell and Marrow Network, and provides national leadership for organ and tissue donation and transplantation. Canadian Blood Services operates 40 permanent collection sites and more than 19,000 donor clinics annually. The provincial and territorial Ministries of Health provide operational funding to Canadian Blood Services. The federal government, through Health Canada, is responsible for regulating the blood system. For more information, please visit our Web site at www.blood.ca.

CONTACT:

Amy Tam, Co-chair

Susan Go, Co-chair

Email - info@chinesestemcell.ca

(416) 760-6181

John Bromley, ABC

Communications Manager, OneMatch Stem Cell and Marrow Network

(416) 313-4438