URGENT: Please help save my cousin's life

[armstrong]

My cousin Christine in the US is battling cancer, and urgently needs to find a bone marrow donor. Unfortunately, finding a perfect match for her bone marrow type is particularly difficult. This is hard enough for the average person; there are over 20,000 types of bone marrow, so the average person has a 1 in 20,000 chance of finding a match. These numbers are even worse for Christine. Because she is Filipino, she needs to find a donor of the same ethnic background, and there are hardly any Filipinos on the US National Registry.

Right now is our best chance of having the Bone Marrow Transplant work. Each day's delay decreases her chances of surviving. Please contact your Filipino friends or relatives in the US, and ask them to contact their friends. Anyone you know who is all or part Filipino and between the ages of 18 and 61 is a potential donor. The system is nationwide, so it doesn't matter where they live. Signing up on the registry is easy and painless. All it requires is a simple blood test. Some hospitals charge a small fee for this blood test, however the fee is routinely waived for minorities, and often for Caucasians as well, especially if you are willing to donate a pint of blood.

You can find a registration center by selecting your state on the map on this website. These centers can refer you to bone marrow drives in your community.

http://www.marrow.org/cgi-bin/NETWORK/map.pl?ctr_typ=DC

There is also a wonderful organization in Los Angeles that arranges free registration for Filipino donors.

www.asianmarrow.org

If you have trouble finding a site in your area, have any trouble finding a place to donate for free, or have additional questions, you can reach Christine's boyfriend Jacob at this email address:

info [at] christine.site.ph

You can reassure your friends that signing up for the registry does not require donating any bone marrow. If it turns out they are a match, they will be contacted, and can make the decision at that point about becoming a donor.

There are lots of misconceptions about donating bone marrow. The procedure is considered minor, simple and safe. You will be anesthetized the whole time, so you will not feel anything. When the procedure is over, you may have some soreness in the area for a day or two and you may feel a little tired. That's it. The bone marrowyou donate is replenished within 3-4 weeks. And again, you will only undergo this procedure if your blood sample shows that you are a match and you decide to donate, in which case the slight soreness you'll be feeling will be saving someone's life.

All medical expenses for the donor will be covered by Christine's insurance.

You can find out more about the registry and the donation procedure at this website:

www.marrow.org

Thank you!

Apollo a.k.a. "armstrong" :hearts:

 

[maximum]

-db-,

I agree with Armstrong 100%. Your offer is appreciated; and, as far as I am concerned, admired and respected. But, Armstrong is right, it is a felony here in the US to pay any donor or for the finding of one. If it were not, I for one, and I know of many other members who would as well (think, as Armostrong mentioned, some have offered already), would join you. Such an offer from one individual, serves as an example of what it means to truelly care for a person, even if they are a total stranger. I can't speak for Christine or her family officially, but I am sure she would yell a big "THANK YOU" for having made such an offer in the first place.

Very Respectfully,
maximum

 

[Kenny]

However, it is legal to offer incentives for actual work done (posting on blogs, forums, etc.). In fact, we have over 20,000NP$ sitting in Christine's account to cover such work. The problem with this is that few like getting paid for such work, preferring instead to volunteer their free time, and few people have truly free time.

If anyone wants to be paid for such work, please PM member "~ Cyberian ~". Don't be shy. There's NP$ earmarked for this. Your work will potentially save a life, and no one has to know that you were paid for it. In fact, there's nothing wrong with getting paid for this kind of work. Other people working to save Christine are getting paid - medical staff, phone operators, drive coordinators, NMDP staff, etc - so there's no shame in getting paid for your time.

Exactly.... We NEED a professional to write an article to be posted in blogs and other forums!!!!! Armstrongs first text is good and could be used as a guideline but what I'm talking about is something universal, quasi generic so that we all can use the same one.

I will also want a translated version (we will find a translator for the finished product) that can be sent to Asian corporations to see if some type of sponsorship perhaps, or even available for distribution to the asian workforce worldwide.

The clock is ticking folks and a donor has yet to be found. We need to flood the net with something so compelling it gains the attention of all who read it.
Please understand the urgency here.

So heres the deal, 5000NPS for this article and we will add it to the pay for posting program as incentive to get it out there.

I'm starting a Thread in the Contest Section so please submit your best work, and I mean dig deep on this one... we all know what is at stake here.

TAKE THE NP$ AND DO IT NOW, PLEASE!!!
This fund has been setup for this purpose and is doing no good where it sits.

Information and content can be gathered from this very thread and also from Christines site (links are everywhere).

And dig, dont ask me what I want or what should be in it 'cuz if I knew any of that it would have been done long ago.

Now to -db-, everything maximum said, and.....

I did not realize this.
I withdraw the offer, and apologize for my ignorance on the topic.
I will continue to campaign by word-of-mouth.

Brother, you have nothing to apologize about. We know it was more than a gesture, it was a comittment and from the heart. No shame in doing the right thing, even when its against the rules..... its still right. :tu:

 

[Malaysia]

Well hope your cousin get well soon.God bless!

 

[Joe]

this is really sad
and i plead anyone who can, to come forward
Joe

 

[jstep]

Has anyone tried digging this thread, or the site

 

[B33R]

The site is in Digg right now.

Linky - http://digg.com/links/_URGENT:_please_help_save_my_cousin_s_life_
There's also a thread in the NP$ incentives section - 2 NP$ to Digg the story.

Has anyone tried posting this on WHT? You'll get a good response from there.

 

[bhavani]

this thread was comming from NP$ incentive to click

 

[jstep]

-db-,

I agree with Armstrong 100%. Your offer is appreciated; and, as far as I am concerned, admired and respected. But, Armstrong is right, it is a felony here in the US to pay any donor or for the finding of one. If it were not, I for one, and I know of many other members who would as well (think, as Armostrong mentioned, some have offered already), would join you. Such an offer from one individual, serves as an example of what it means to truelly care for a person, even if they are a total stranger. I can't speak for Christine or her family officially, but I am sure she would yell a big "THANK YOU" for having made such an offer in the first place.

Very Respectfully,
maximum

Could someone outside the country be the one to pay for a donor?

Just curious

 

[Kenny]

Welcome to Situation Critical

Amazing, isnt it?

There are over 150 replies in this thread. A decent response from the community expressing condolences and deep regrets over inability to directly help in this cause.

I have been impressed from the first day this thread started for all of the moral support offered Armstrong and continues even to today.

Sincere and heartfelt, many showing concern and woeful of the fact that if only they were asian nothing could hold them back from getting tested.

As these words repeated through post after post it occured to me, man these people really would like to do something, anything, and testing isnt the only way to help, there are many ways this effort could be joined besides testing. Maybe I could help out and find these good people a few simple tasks that will allow them to share in the joy one receives while working for a cause.

But then in review I noticed something was conspicuously absent from the majority of these posts, those words that should follow "If I were filipino but I'm not...." and that would read "...but, what else needs to be done?", or, "can I help?".... "is there anything I can do?", "If you need me just call".

Wait a minute, there must be some kind of mistake, yea of course, they meant to add that footer when it was posted but it must have slipped by. .

So keeping this in mind I would like to help in correcting that little oversite and ask that you all please offer again, because condolences are nobel gestures but do nothing to feed the pot, and moral support is neither moral nor supportive.

Wednesday we will start distributing through the blogs and forums, bbs, usenet, corporations, governments and interplanetary galactic news an article we were only going to launch should the situation become critical.

Welcome to Situation Critical.
Feel free to post your offer to help in this thread.

 

[Eric]

I've bought the charity ribbon aswell.

Kenny, as I mentioned in your other thread (this goes out to Apollo too) whatever you need, let me know. If I can help, I will. (Thread also re-stickied).

Eric

 

[Grafsteins]

May g-d be with you

Good luck my freind,i hope g0d is with you every step of this and that he shall send to you upon the donor,
good luck
kane

 

[Kenny]

Mods, I am asking, plz dont move this or any other related post this week.

Please listen close here....

When a person is in a life threatening situation not losing hope is very important to their health. We are literally down to ONLY WEEKS to find a donor and start the process or it will be too late.
A moral boost would do wonders for Christine right now, and YOU could add to that boost in as little as 10 mins.

How many of you that will read this post will take the time to click 1 link, register membership in her forum, and thats it.. BAM - Done - Back to what you were doing.... and know you helped in all this, because this is as important as her medicine for her body, this is medicine for keeping the spirit strong.

There is a Forum, Christines Army and it is filled with
resources, and YOU that want to help need to go to:

>>>>> Christines Army <<<<<
after you join up, then go to:

>>>>> Resource DataBase <<<<< and check out the
Posters, flyers, brochures, cover letters, business cards...

And post >>>>> THIS LINK <<<<< on all your domains.

Thank you.

Peace,
Cyberian

 

[Kenny]

I just got this email....From Jacob, Christines b/f....


You have just been sent a personal message by Jacob on Christine's Army
Forum.

IMPORTANT: Remember, this is just a notification. Please do not reply
to this email.

The message they sent you was:

Dear friends of Christine,

We need your help.

Christine got the results of her latest scans, and the news is not
good. Things have gotten so critical that unless she finds a match within
the next 2-4 weeks, her only hope will be to move forward with the bone
marrow transplant anyway without a matching donor. This would mean an
extremely risky partial match transplant, with a very low chance of
survival.

We still have time to find a perfect match for Christine. But we need
your help now.

Here's a quick list of what you can do. Further information is
available by scrolling down in this email:

1) IF YOU'VE REGISTERED ALREADY - Make sure Christine's Doctors get
your information in time by clicking the link below and anonymously
entering your donor number and information on the appropriate form. If you
do not remember your donor number, information about how to retrieve it
is included at the end of this email. Please use FORM A unless you are
unable to retrieve your donor number yourself.

http://christine.site.ph/submit.html

2) IF YOU'VE HOSTED A DRIVE - Please send an email to
[email protected] and tell us the date, location, and
organization that hosted your drive, as well as an estimate of how many Filipinos
were registered. This will allow us to follow up and make sure all the
samples have been processed. To help even more, call the donor center
yourself and ask them to confirm that the drive was "Patient Focused"
for Christine Pechera. Request the "Star Link" number that links the
drive to Christine, and send it to us along with the other information.

2) IF YOU CAN MAKE A CONTRIBUTION - Please do it today. We're
desperately trying to reach out to the Philippines to find a match for
Christine, but it's extremely expensive, and we can only do it with your help.
So please, make a donation if you can. All donations are TAX
DEDUCTIBLE.

To make a contribution, please click the link below

https://www.registrationfactory.com/v3/?EventUUID=59B857F6

Or send a check payable to:

The Christine Pechera Foundation
207 N 6th Street #1R
Brooklyn, NY 11211

4) IF YOU HAVE NOT YET REGISTERED AS A DONOR

Please do so today! It takes up to four weeks for the National Marrow
Donor Program to process a new donor, which means we're almost out of
time. To find a donor center near you, please check the following links
or call the National Marrow Donor Program at 1-800-MARROW2. When you
register, please ask your sample to be PATIENT FOCUSED for Christine
Pechera. And send us your donor number by using our anonymous form.

***For those who can afford it, the best way to help is to use private
testing centers, which can process your samples far more quickly, but
do charge a fee. For more information about registering through a
private testing center, please send an email to [email protected]

List of Donor Centers by State:

States A-M
http://christine.site.ph/forum/index.php?topic=135.0

States N-W
http://christine.site.ph/forum/index.php?topic=134.0

To send us your donor number:

http://christine.site.ph/submit.html

5) IF YOU ARE HOSTING AN UPCOMING DRIVE

Please call the organization sponsoring your drive and your local donor
center, and try to make the drive happen sooner. Also, confirm that
the drive is PATIENT FOCUSED for Christine Pechera, and request the STAR
LINK number that links it to Christine. Please email us with this
information, as well as an estimate of how many Filipinos were registered
as soon as your drive is completed.

Note: Even if your drive cannot happen within the next four weeks, we
ask that you please proceed with it anyway. There is the possibility
that salvage therapy could work better than expected and give Christine
more time. And regardless, your drive will help save other lives.

6) KEEP SPREADING THE WORD

We only have a few weeks left to find a donor for Christine. So please
help us by spreading the word! With your help, there's still a chance
to find a donor, so please help us today. For more information about
ways to help Christine, and answers to frequently asked questions, you
can visit Christine's website and forum:

www.savechristine.com

Enter the forum by clicking the "Forum" link on the upper right hand
corner of the website, or by clicking this link:

http://christine.site.ph/forum/index.php

Thank you so much for your help. Information about how to retrieve
lost donor numbers is below. If you do not want to be included in future
emails about Christine, please DO NOT mark this message as spam. Just
respond to this email, and we will take you off the list.

With much gratitude,

Jake

HOW TO FIND YOUR DONOR NUMBER:

If you don't know your donor number or have lost your donor card,
please retrieve your donor number by calling the local donor center where
you registered. For a list of donor center phone numbers, please check
the links below:

States A-M
http://christine.site.ph/forum/index.php?topic=135.0

States N-W
http://christine.site.ph/forum/index.php?topic=134.0

If you cannot retrieve your donor number, or have trouble getting in
touch with the donor center where you registered, please click the link
below and submit the information in FORM B so that we can attempt track
your sample ourselves.

http://christine.site.ph/submit.html

Please note that FORM A does not request your name or address in order
to preserve the confidentiality of your donor number. Those using FORM
B can be assured that their confidentiality will also be preserved.
Your name and contact info will only be used to track your samples and to
make sure they are processed in time.


Reply to this Personal Message here:
http://christine.site.ph/forum/index.php?action=pm;sa=send;f=inbox;pmsg=21;quote;u=3

 

[clarkc]

apollo, dont lose hope coz hope and prayers is the cure to all sickness i try to look here ok kababayan pala kita... information lang ang kailangan para malaman ng lahat... i'll try to look just pm me what type of blood you need or requirments ill help you ok.

 

[Kenny]

From Apollo

Edited: PM from Apollo to Cyberian ~

Anyway, its crunch time with Christine. We found some partial matches, and Christine has to decide within the next week or two if she wants to take the risk. The odds are pretty bad even with a perfect match; with partials, her chances of survival drops to almost nil.
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

We can still save her. PLEASE.
Kenny

 

[bluemouse2]

May God help you!

 

[Genialnames]

I wonder how long it takes in a so crowded word to find the way to save one single life. Just because money at the end! How much it cost a life ?

Good luck to all Christine of the world, hoping tomorrow will be a better day for all.

 

[randomo]

I don't know any Filipinos, but I donated to the foundation through your link. I hope this will help Christine and anyone else in a similar situation. Sending positive thoughts her way, & hoping to hear good news.

 

[AzN]

Hey,
I work at my uncle's karaoke entertaiment store which has 93% Filipinos customers and at least 200 customers per day.
We are located In best place of Daly City, CA which even has a Philippines Social Security Branch located TWO DOORS from the store. If you have a small flyer about 8.5 x 11 with minor texts about 3-4 lines black and white only that I can post, I will surely post it in the front door of the store. PM Me. Let god be with you and help find a matching donor.

 

[Janine]

I'm a Filipino but I'm only 14 Years old.

 

[Kenny]

AsianKid, PM sent... thanks man.

I'm a Filipino but I'm only 14 Years old.

Please inform you parents about this... time is critical... we are down to only days.

Please, let your parents know about this.

Thanks for your post.

Peace,
Cyberian

 

[ThaiN]

I hope you find your person.
God Bless.

 

[Kenny]

From Armstrong:

Christine will be admitted by next Tuesday for chemo conditioning and transplant by the 28th.

Any more drives are now too late to help her. According to her doctor, even if a perfect match shows up today, there won't be enough time to get that person screened and prepped for the procedure.

So they are going with this partial match, which for Christine means 30% chance of surviving the procedure and 50% chance of being alive and well a year from today.
``````````````````````````````
Armstrong will be around to personally give his thanks when time allows.

On a personal note:
I want to thank everyone for their efforts and blessings, it has been a fine show of
community spirit and love and now it is in the hands of others.
Please keep her in your prayers.

Also, let me remind everyone of this very important fact....
The total effort of all involved in Christines cause has registered more Filipino and
Asian Donors since January '06 than had been registered in the previous five years.

You have made a difference in this world, and I love you all.



Peace,
Cyberian

 

[-db-]

I wanted to highlight this post...

From Armstrong:

Christine will be admitted by next Tuesday for chemo conditioning and transplant by the 28th.

Any more drives are now too late to help her. According to her doctor, even if a perfect match shows up today, there won't be enough time to get that person screened and prepped for the procedure.

So they are going with this partial match, which for Christine means 30% chance of surviving the procedure and 50% chance of being alive and well a year from today.
``````````````````````````````

Please keep her in your prayers

God Bless Christine.

I wish I had something more to say. I'm at a loss for words.

 

[briman1970]

I may come across as an idiot, but have they looked into an umbilical cord blood stem cell transplant for Christine? I don't know if the cord blood has to be from a Filipino, but I've read that cord blood is readily available and has a high success rate in bone marrow transplants.

I just thought I'd ask... sometimes a little comment can mean all the world when it comes to critical situations such as this. Prayer will help too, so we will pray for her surgery to be successful and her recovery to be complete. God bless.

Bri