News & Events | Press Release: Photo Opportunity: A Reunion to Celebrate the Gift of Life

Gary Locke Joins 5-Year Old Luke Do and his Marrow Donor, Seattle Police Sergeant Randy Yamanaka

AUGUST 24, 2006, SEATTLE WA — Four years ago in San Jose, California, little Luke Do’s family was in a desperate search to save Luke’s life. Luke was fighting leukemia and needed to find somebody with closely matched bone marrow. The answer to their hopes came with Seattle Police Sergeant Randy Yamanaka. Yamanaka was on the National Marrow Donor list and a match for Luke. The ensuing effort it took for the donation to take place not only saved Luke’s life, it may also have saved the lives of many others since that time.

Sgt. Yamanaka was notified his marrow could save Luke in early 2002. As Sgt. Yamanaka made preparations to make the marrow donation, he discovered multiple layers of government policy making it difficult for him to do so. With persistence and a sense of humor, Sgt. Yamanaka gained allies at all governmental levels and changed the rules. Then Governor Gary Locke, Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, then Seattle City Council Member Margaret Pageler and Seattle Police Chief Gil Kerlikowski each made changes to existing rules and regulations for government employees to allow anyone making a lifesaving donation to be allowed to do so, receive the time needed and the recovery period as paid leave.
Luke Do is now five years old. He and his family are returning to Seattle for a visit and to say thank you to those whose efforts saved Luke’s life and have encouraged others to donate gifts of life. Luke and his family, accompanied by Sgt Yamanaka will meet Gary Locke for the first time to thank him for his efforts. Others expected to join in the reunion include Dr. Richard B. Counts and Maria Elena Geyer, respectively president/CEO and Vice President of Donor Services of Puget Sound Blood Center.

About Bone Marrow Donation
Puget Sound Blood Center handles all tissue typing, tissue matching, donor counseling and marrow donor recruitment for the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) Registry in Western Washington and Alaska. Marrow is a substance found inside bones that contains blood stem cells, which produce red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets important for fighting infection, carrying oxygen, and helping to control bleeding. Blood stem cells are the cells that transplant patients need to make healthy new marrow.

Every year, thousands of adults and children need bone marrow transplants — a procedure which may be their only chance for survival. Although some patients with leukemia or other cancers have a genetically matched family member who can donate, about 70 percent do not. These patients' lives depend on finding an unrelated individual with a compatible tissue type, often within their own ethnic group, who is willing to donate marrow for them.

As of July 2006, the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) has facilitated over 25,000 unrelated bone marrow transplants and the national Registry has over 6 million volunteer donors. In the Puget Sound region, our local donor center has more than 60,000 volunteer donors on the national Registry. There is a critical need for more volunteer donors. Many patients, especially people of color, cannot find a compatible donor among those on the Registry. Patients and donors must have matching tissue types, and these matches are most often found between people of the same racial and ethnic background. A large, ethnically diverse group of prospective donors will give more patients a chance for survival.

People living in Western Washington or Alaska who would like to join the national Registry can contact the Puget Sound Blood Center at bonemarrow@psbc.org or by calling either 206-292-1897 or 1-800-DONATE1 x1897. For more information about the donating bone marrow visit our Web site’s Bone Marrow Registry page.

The Blood center has a long and unique tradition of blending community volunteerism, medical science and research to improve patients’ lives. The Blood Center serves patients in more than 70 hospitals and clinics in 14 counties with blood services, provides tissue and transplantation support to 185 hospitals across the Northwest. For more information on Puget Sound Blood Center please see our Web site at www.psbc.org.

If you have any questions regarding the event contact Tom Butterworth at 206-292-6511 or pager 206-680-2610.