Transplants work! Since beginning my research about MDS for my cousin I just got my first bit of good news. I'd found the story of Chole Chang online and had listed her as a person "in need." Happily I was just informed by Asia at the AADP that Chole was matched to her sister and that she is now a happy and healthy baby girl. Asia then sent me some other happy ending profiles of those who benefited and were given a second chance at life thanks to their donors.
Chole Chang (Hapa) Now in Remission :)
Chloe Chang was twenty-one months old when she needed help in her battle to beat Leukemia. She is the daughter of Stanford University Professor Gordon Chang and Vicki Sandin. The Changs are an integral part of the Stanford community, serving as Resident Fellows in an undergraduate dorm. Thankfully Chole's sister was a match and she has been in remission for the past 5 years.
A Message from the Changs while searching for a donor 5 years ago: Dear Friends:
Chloe very much needs your help. We thought she was responding well to her chemotherapy until last week when we learned that she had relapsed. Her leukemia had returned. She will have to have a bone marrow transplant sometime in the next several months and it is critical that we find a donor match for her. Because she is biracial, this is a difficult challenge.
The national registry does not have many biracial, or even Asian, potential donors. You may hold Chloe's future within you. Please help her. A simple blood test can determine whether you might be a match.
Thank you. Gordon Chang and Vicki Sandin
Nancy Sakakura Now in Remission :)
Nancy, a mother of two boys has kept busy taking care of her children and helping out with Marrow/Blood Stem Cell Drives in Southern California. She was diagnosed with Myelodysplasia, a precursor to Leukemia in 2004. Twice, Nancy was told that she had a potential matching donor. Unfortunately, both of the donors backed out. Nancy was back to searching for donors. In 2006, Nancy finally found a match from a young girl from Japan. She has since had her transplant and is back at home spending time with her family, friends and loving life.
Myland was born and raised in San Francisco's North Beach neighborhood. In July of 2006, Myland was diagnosed with ALL. He received the shocking news from his doctor while he was vacationing in Kona, Hawaii with his wife and two children. He is passionate about spending time with his family, and has a special love of the outdoors and of the ocean. Despite the fact that Myland has a very rare tissue type, he found his miracle match before Christmas and has received his transplant. He is now at home doing great. Go Team Da Huis!
Christine Pechera Now in Remission :)
Christine is a Filipina that was born and raised in New York. She was diagnosed with Lymphoma in 2002, and most recently relapsed in 2005. Christine donated her own marrow to her brother, Francis Rex, when he was diagnosed with Lymphoma and needed a transplant as well. Because of Christine's donation, Rex went on to live a few more years. Her sister is a current survivor of Lymphoma. After finding a partial match in Hong Kong, Christine just got out of the hospital four months ago and is still recovering, but doing extremely well with minimal GVH. She is Cancer-free, and giving back by speaking at events and continuing to volunteer her time to help other patients sign up more people on the NMDP registry. Some writings and poems that she has composed will soon be coming out in a book titled “Writing for Wellness”. As a filmmaker, she will be writing and directing a PSA this summer for the NMDP. She is back to doing yoga, playing music, and riding her bike to the beach. Christine is happy to be alive and well in Los Angeles. To read her blog on the latest updates:
Luke Do is a lovely 6-year-old boy of Japanese, Irish, English and Vietnamese descent. He was diagnosed with JMML (Juvenile Myelomonocytic Leukemia), a rare and aggressive childhood leukemia. Luke received a marrow transplant on March 18, 2002 at 2 years old and has been doing well since. He is off all medication and is running around like a normal little boy. Visit his website for more updates.
Chole Chang (Hapa)
Nancy Sakakura
Myland Hui
Christine Pechera
Luke Do