FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Asian Americans Needed to Donate Blood, Register on National Marrow Donor Program

Annual blood and marrow drive inspired by the late Kirby Wong; more diverse blood supply may have saved his life

JULY 9, 2004, SEATTLE — A more diverse blood supply may have saved Kirby Wong’s life four years ago. With a mission to ensure greater ethnic diversity in the blood supply, the Kin On Health Care Center and Puget Sound Blood Center will hold a special blood drive -- the Asian Pacific Islanders Blood and Marrow Drive -- at the Blaine Memorial United Methodist Church in Seattle. Taking place on Sunday July 25, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., the drive is located at 3001 24th Ave. S.

Now in its fourth year, the event is designed to increase the number of Chinese and other Asian Pacific Islanders represented on the national marrow registry and in the regional blood supply. For more information or to schedule an appointment, interested donors should contact Kin On Health Care Center at (206) 721-3630.

As the local affiliate of the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP), the Blood Center encourages people of Asian heritage to give blood in honor of Kirby Wong, a Chinese-American Seattle man who died at the prime of his life. During Mr. Wong’s heart surgery, Edwin Wong, his father, learned that Chinese blood donors were in short supply. Blood Center officials believe that Mr. Wong’s story serves as a reminder that more ethnic diversity is needed in the blood and marrow supply for patients who receive blood transfusions or marrow transplants.

“The Blood Center and the sponsors of this blood and marrow drive recognize that everyone in our diverse community should have access to lifesaving blood or bone marrow,” said Zeena Smith, Blood Center drive coordinator. “Though we encourage people of all ethnic backgrounds to donate blood and register on the NMDP, people of Asian heritage are especially urged to do so. Whether it is for a child needing a blood transfusion in our own community or someone requiring a marrow transplant worldwide, lives truly do depend upon your generous donations.”

Wong, who died in May 2000, left behind $100,000 for the Kin On Health Care Center in Seattle to host two drives a year for the next five years in the Asian Pacific Islander community. Asian Americans only make up six percent of the 5 million registrants on the National Marrow Donor Program, a national database of bone marrow donors. Approximately 3.5 percent of the total blood supply is comprised of all ethnic groups. To address this deficiency, Puget Sound Blood Center provides its resources and specialized recruitment efforts to help diversify the donor base through its Rare Donor Program. Established in 2000 to focus on the recruitment and retention of ethnic minority donors, the Rare Donor Program was created because of people like Kirby Wong. As the local affiliate of the National Marrow Donor Program, the Blood Center strongly encourages donors to schedule an appointment by calling the number above.

About Puget Sound Blood Center
Celebrating 60 years in the community, the Blood Center is internationally recognized for groundbreaking research in transfusion and transplantation medicine. The nonprofit Blood Center is the resource for patients in Western Washington who need blood, tissue and specialized laboratory services. Founded in 1944, the Blood Center has a long and unique tradition of blending community volunteerism, medical science and research to improve patients’ lives. The organization directly affects the lives of over half million patients annually in more than 70 hospitals and clinics in 14 counties of Washington State and provides tissue and transplantation support to 185 hospitals across the Northwest.

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