Tune into ABC channel 7 this Wednesday, April 2, at 3:00 p.m. to see me plug the bone marrow registry! I'll be a guest on "The View From the Bay", a San Francisco Bay Area daily program which features various personal/human interest stories. I'll be on with Yul Kwon, my cousin's best friend, the winner of "Survivor Cook Islands", and a tireless activist who tries to leverage his Survivelebrity to get people, particularly of Asian and mixed descent, on the National Bone Marrow Registry. If you don't live in the Bay Area, you can watch the show at 3:00 Pacific Standard Time HERE; just click on "WATCH LIVE ONLINE".
23 comments:
I could think of few more fitting people with whom to share the air - look forward to seeing TWO champion "survivors" raising awareness!
Erica,
A classmate of yours (white boy named Doug)sent me your blog. I had a couple bone marrow tests like 12 years ago pre-US military service. I no longer work for the intelligence community but made a lot of friends.
I'm korean-american. What are the pre-req's you need for initial filtering? Like blood type?
I currently have contacts in South Korean, China, Taiwan, Singapore, and Philipines that may be helpful.
Drop me an email (ns2008b@verizon.net).
Erica, you're in our hearts. I'm passing along the blog and YouTube video to some media contacts, specifically ones who write for Asian outlets. You've shown the importance of raising awareness specifically in the Asian community. I hope we pull through for you. And if they don't donate, I will moon each and every one of them. My bare ass is still a potent weapon.
Love,
Katy
Hi Erica,
Ive happened accross your blog awhile ago and have been keeping up with your story. Just hoping my story can be a ray of hope. I was diagnosed with AML about 2 yrs ago. Did chemo steril living etc and then relapsed about 5 months after I had finished. Went back into the hospital, had two inductions and eventually had a cord blood transplant. (Im half black half white...it took them a long time to find a donor!) The cord bloods matched 5/6. So, the trasplant was about a year ago and Im still here! This will all seem more manegable as you go along. Actually the isolation period post transplant isn't as daunting as it seems. You dont have to stay on crazy food restrictions for very long. Just cant be around sick people. Have to say out of crowds for a couple of months. But I was going to movies and even had a part time job about 4.5 months after the transplant. Ive had minimal GVHD, its a nuicience but nothing major.
So, just wanted you to know my story, hopefully it will make you feel better. There is a horizon I swear!! I know its scary as shit but you're not alone.
I dont know you but I love you!
natashacollins@gmail.com if you ever need a lifeline.
~Natasha
Katy is my new favorite commenter here.
Abby
HI Erica: NancyM, your nurse from Brigham &Women's here... Your you-tube video is amazing. I am sending it everywhere, to potential donors, other patients, friends, coworkers... You remain amazing, and one of my biggest inspirations. My best to you, Jaci, and your whole family!
damn girl, only you would look that HOT without hair! GORGEOUS pic on the side of the blog!
besos,
Addie
good luck today! can't wait to see the video! :)
Erica,
I recently read about you on the Tufts enews service, announcing the donor drive at Fletcher. I'm a staff member at the Bio Department, a Nutrition School alum, and was diagnosed with APML last year. This subtype of AML is pretty responsive to chemo, so chances are I won't be facing a transplant. But many of the other things you've been going thru I'm sure I can relate. I'll be thinking of you and pulling for you. Drop me an email if you get a chance (michael.grossi@tufts.edu)
All the best,
Michael
Just to let you know that I'll be there today to register. I'm also a "half Asian" girl. Maybe we can macth.
Aggy
Erica, a colleague at work just stopped by to tell me that she registered because of you! (I posted a plea for the donor drive on our company intranet). I hope you are staying strong. You'll get through this. And thanks so much for your putting us in touch with Adam and Kenji!
Love, Marieke
I watched you LIVE online! You were great!!!(Yul was o.k. too ;-) I am soooo proud of you!
I didn't want to miss your bit, so I even sat through that early segment about how to rent a faaaabulous Rolex watch for only $400/week. Hopefully you didn't have to watch that crap from your green room. Barf. I must really love you.
Erica, you rocked it, as we knew you would. And I must say, excellent choice of necklaces. You're like Cancer Patient with an Edge-- exactly the kind of person I want getting my marrow!
I'll call you tomorrow. I want to cook up some hiking plans to get me through the rest of the week!
Hugs,
A
I had to work this afternoon but my sister said you did great today! I have emailed all my local friends in hopes that it will help this cause. You always have been and will be both a beautiful and powerful person to me and all those with whom you meet. I'll be thinking of you . . .
Love always,
Alison
I saw you too -- also sat through the rental jewelery, cooking with a 6 year old, pediatric dentistry, cheap tickets for the theater ... i agree with Abby about the necklace choice - tres chic. And i'm posting this publicly instead of personal email - about 400 people came out for the drive yesterday! It was so awesome! We'll send you pics/videos etc .. stay tuned :)
After seeing your blog I went and got typed! My name is Alysen and I'm of Korean-Chinese and German-Scottish descent, so let's keep our fingers crossed.
Peace and prayers.
ALR
Here are more bone marrow drives near Stanford U.:
---- BONE MARROW DRIVE.
You can help give the gift of life! The National Marrow
Donor Program will take a swab of your saliva. This is
NOT a blood test -- no needles are involved that day. By
becoming part of the Marrow Registry, you agree to donate
a piece of your marrow if you are ever contacted by the
Registry. Donors must be between the ages of 18 & 60.
Sat Apr 19, 95 Crescent Dr., 9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
http://www.google.com/maps?q=95+crescent+94301
Questions? Jill Asher, jill.asher@gmail.com . Hosted by
PA-Menlo Park Parents Club, http://www.pampclub.org/,
& Silicon Valley Moms Blog, http://www.svmoms.com, in
honor of a Palo Alto Unified School District grandparent.
With hope and prayers,
Maryknoll Alumni
Hi Erica:
I'm 28, half-Chinese, half-German/Polish. Not sure if you can pick your donor, but I'm registering. Send me an e-mail: charlibrown7@aol.com .
you were great. heres to hoping all this "driving" gets us this donor we are all wishing for! you should have seen the crowd at fletcher yesterday, would have made you proud, certainly made me proud.
Hi Erica -
I believe you know my wife Lakshmi (who you worked with at Oxy). She shared your wonderful blog / video with me today.
I work with a company that might be able to help marrow.org and we can try to raise awareness around your specific condition as well. Please feel free to email me if you want to learn more, and I really hope we can help out.
willanjohnson@gmail.com
Awesome interview! You look so great with our without hair. Just adorable. Hang in there. There's a match on the horizon!!! : )
So my buddy runs AngryAsianMan.com and I asked him to post about raising awareness and link to your blog and he did. And I didn't even have to moon him! Although I did anyway and it almost ruined everything but I digress.
http://www.angryasianman.com/2008/04/bone-marrow-donors-needed.html
You're mentioned right after some psycho with guns and before some American Idol hooch.
I couldn't make the SF drive today, but I just requested they mail me a home kit. :)
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