Nancy's Update

As you know, Asians for Miracle Marrow Matches (A3M) coordinates recruitment drives, provides education assistance and helps facilitate prompt access to potential marrow and blood cell donors.

Here's how we can help them provide these services and help provide life saving marrow matches to those in need:

1. Buy your Starnight Tickets now!!! It's your chance to see the fabulous Keiko Matsui in Concert at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts Center on November 2nd. You can also buy a dinner/concert package for an even more enjoyable evening!!! There will be a silent auction. A3M is looking for donations for their Silent Auction. If you would like to purchase tickets or have items that you would like to donate for the Silent Auction, please call A3M toll-free at 888.236.4673, visit their website at http://www.asianmarrow.org/ or email me at sakakura@ca.rr.com. Please buy your tickets and participate in the Silent Auction. You will have a fantastic time while supporting a worthy cause.

2. This wonderful organization, The Orange Coast Optimist Club, that I have belonged to for over 15 years, is hosting its annual golf tournament with net proceeds being donated to A3M. It's a day promised to be filled with great golf (or at least so-so golf depending on who you are), games on the golf course, raffle prizes and a delicious fun-filled dinner. This will all take place on Monday, November 17th. So, put in your day-off requests from work and send in your golf applications as soon as possible. OCO is in need of raffle prizes for this fun-filled charitable tournament so please contact me if you have anything you'd like to donate for this event. Also, OCO would like you to become a tee sponsor. You can sponsor a tee personally or have your company and/or friends become a tee sponsor!!! To get the golf tournament and sponsorship application, please go to http://www.ocoyouth.org/ and click on OCO 20th Annual Charitable Golf Tournament. Thank you for supporting A3M through OCO's Golf Tournament.

3. If you haven't already, please register to become a bone marrow donor. There will be a bone marrow drive Sunday, September 21st at the Cerritos Baptist Church. I will be speaking briefly and so will Krissy Kobata, a patient in-need of a match! The drive will be following both services. So, please come to the service or if you prefer, just come to register as a potential life-saver!!! All it takes is some paperwork and a swab of your cheek!!! Here's the info:

Sunday 9/21/08
Cerritos Baptist Church
11947 Del Amo Blvd.
Cerritos, CA 90703
Services 9 am and 11 am
Marrow Drive following the services : approximately 10:15 and 12:15.

Please spread the word on these three events. A3M appreciates all your efforts in helping these events become a great success. I appreciate all of your support over the past six years that I've been ill. I'm feeling really good and I'm in complete remission. I plan to stay that way!!!

Please feel free to contact me at sakakura@ca.rr.com if you have any questions about these events. Thank you all again! love, nancy

Hey Gang, My dear friend, Ann Gregory, is receiving her new marrow as I type this. This is her second transplant. I just want to wish her the best birthday ever. This is to new beginnings, to the new marrow setting up shop and loving its new home. Here's to the next half century of Chris and Ann continuing their happy and healthy life together.

Please storm heaven with prayers for her and Chris. Let's pray for complete remission and complete and lasting engraftment of these new cells. Let's thank God for this donor who unselfishly offered a part of herself to save Ann's life. What an act of kindness given to a perfect stranger. What a miracle!!!

Thank you for your thoughts and prayers for Ann.

I'm recovering well and feeling much better. Thank you for continuing to follow my blog. I couldn't be surrounded by a more supportive and loving group of people. Love you all! nancy