Bone Marrow transplant needed for James Lee Erlandsen...
searching for Eurasian donors



This past week, I recieved a unique request to help spread the request to find a bone marrow donor for James Erlandsen.  His cousin Aynsley contacted me.  I am amazed at the similar parallels between James and myself regarding our family histories, our educational histories, and health crisis histories.

Back in 1989, I was studying Psychology at SFU, when I was diagnosed with a germ cell tumor, a rare form of cancer and given a 60% chance to live with treatment.  Without chemotheraphy treatment, the doctors later told me, I would have lasted about two weeks.  I had just turned 29 years old at the time.

Life is always fragile.  We are more likely to die in a car accident than from a disease while we are still in our twenties.  If I had died back then... there would be no Gung Haggis Fat Choy Robbie Burns Chinese New Year Dinner... no Toddish McWong...  no Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team...  possibly no Taiwanese Dragon Boat races in Vancouver.

I wouldn't have helped to found the SFU Terry Fox Day in 1994, nor the SFU Gung Haggis Fat Choy Festival in 1995.  I wouldn't have volunteered at Asian Canadian Writer's Workshop to help create the ACWW Community Builder's Dinner, or been a committee member on the inaugural One Book One Vancouver committee for the Vancouver Public Library in 2003, or a organizing leader for the Save Kogawa House committee, or participated in Chinese Head Tax Redress.  They have all been rewarding experiences for me - both personally and for the community.

A 23 year old SFU student, named James Lee Eriandsen, is now facing a health crisis.

There may be an incredible life still to live for James, or there may not.  We do what we can.  We live in the present.  We give thanks each day...  and we try to help others.

The following information was sent to me from a cousin of James Lee Erlandsen.  Both she and James are multi-generational Canadians of Chinese ethnicity, while James also has Caucasian heritage too.  Our ancestors lived and worked in Vancouver Chinatown and probably knew each other...   I am glad to help out.

James was working on his degree in Geography at Simon Fraser University and working at Save-On-Foods when on February 1st, he was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.  He is part Chinese and Caucasian and has no siblings.  His bone marrow type is rare and he needs as many registrants as possible to find a potential match.  The best chance for a match would be from Eurasian donors.

Please submit your information to the Bone Marrow Donor Registry online and you will be contacted by Canadian Blood Services.   www.blood.ca/registry

I have since found out that James' interests include:
Music (except bluegrass and heavy metal)
Lawn Bowling
Baking Cookies
Socializing and Restaurants
Las Vegas
Bubby, his dog (a Chow)
Golfing
Art, Graphic Design, Visual Arts
Video Games

He was born in 1983 and graduated from Carson Graham (North Van) in 2001.

Omigod... James graduated from my old High School, I was a 1978 grad at Carson Graham, where I was also on the wrestling and badminton teams in 1978 and concert band in 1977.  The parrallels between our lives are amazing.

Hopefully, a matching bone marrow can be found for James. 
Please download the attachment poster and send to your friends.

Please ask your Eurasian or Hapa friends if they can register for a bone marrow match.