Photo of Betty (half Aussie, half Welsh) by Skye
President-elect Barack Obama has made it cool to be a racial mix, or, as he calls it, a "mutt."
What's not cool is the difficulty that bi- and multi-racial patients have in finding a bone marrow match. Just ask Ann, a hapa (half Asian, half Caucasian) who just completed her second life-saving bone marrow transplant. Or talk to Krissy, another hapa, who's still searching for her match.
Read more about mutts and marrow in this opinion piece that appears in Sunday's Pasadena Star News (as well as sister papers, Whittier Daily News and San Gabriel Valley Tribune.)
If you're a minority (black, Latino, Asian, Native American) or racially mixed, contact A3M (Asians for Miracle Marrow Matches) in Southern California or AADP in Northern California to find a drive near you. Or, go to the website for the National Bone Marrow Registry and sign up online or find a drive near you.
You could end up being the life-saving match for someone - maybe even a mutt like Obama or me. How cool would that be?
11 comments:
That would be very cool indeed. I will check out the site.
Krissy is my dentist's cousin!
Keep spreading the word.
Excellent article. Thanks to Monica for alerting me, and thanks to you for alerting everyone else (with such a light and charming touch).
It's beautiful Betty!
Paula, what a small world about Krissy being your dentist's cousin. She is a very sweet and cool young woman.
Thanks, Petrea.
I'm working up my nerve to post a photo of Betty in a dress, AH.
Your piece in PSN was just wonderful!
both you and Betty are beautiful mutts. Of all of our pups, the mutt versions seem the most calm and snuggly!
Betty in a dress? Nooooo! ;-)
Krissy is my niece. Thanks so much for adding a link to Team Krissy webpage. We need to spread the word.
Susan, I am Krissy's brother. I read your article in the Whittier Daily Press. It was a great and informative piece. I hope that it can spur minorities, especially more "mutts" like us to get registered. We are continuing to try and get the word out that more minorities especially those of mixed back grounds need to get registered. Would there be any way to do somewhat of an expose follow up to this article where you could maybe tell my sister's story in her search for a match and what it has entailed. Our family has been working bone marrow registry drives practically every weekend this year since she was diagnosed in May 2007. I think your talents as a writer provide such a great support system for people like Krissy and our family and your exposure to a large audience is invaluable. let me know if there is anything we can do to help increase the visibility of Krissy's search. thanks for your time.(I posted under my cousin, Lindsey, but if you go to the team krissy website you can e-mail us back directly) --Randy
Trish, "beautiful mutts" - yea, that's us!
Sharon, I'm glad to help spread the word.
Randy, good to hear from another "mutt." I'll email you directly.
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