XN000022-1993-03-30 — Page 14

TUESDAY, MARCH 30, 1993

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MRS PATTEN COMMENDS BONE MARROW DONORS

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EVERY YEAR, MORE THAN 1,000 ADULTS AND CHILDREN IN HONG KONG CONTRACT MALIGNANT AND DEADLY BLOOD DISEASES; MANY NEED A BONE MARROW TRANSPLANT ΤΟ HAVE ANY CHANCE OF LIFE. MRS PATTEN SAID TODAY (TUESDAY).

AS FEWER THAN 40 PER CENT CAN FIND A COMPATIBLE DONOR WITHIN THEIR OWN FAMILY, THE ONLY HOPE FOR THE OTHERS IS TO LOCATE A SUITABLE UNRELATED DONOR, SHE SAID.

MATCH

ADDRESSING A PRESENTATION CEREMONY OF THE HONG KONG MARROW FOUNDATION, MRS PATTEN EXPRESSED GRATITUDE TO THOSE CARING AND COMPASSIONATE PEOPLE WHO HAD COME FORWARD TO BE BONE MARROW DONORS.

SHE SAID WHAT THEY HAD ALREADY IMMEASURABLE GIFT OF LIFE.

"INDEED,

GIVEN ΤΟ OTHERS WAS THE

I HAVE VISITED SOME OF THE BONE MARROW PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES AND HAVE SEEN FOR MYSELF THE IMPORTANT LIFE-SAVING WORK THAT ALL THOSE INVOLVED ARE DOING, MRS PATTEN SAID.

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THE TASK OF THE FOUNDATION IS TO RECRUIT AND TEST THESE DONORS, AND THEN TO MAINTAIN THEIR RECORDS IN A REGISTRY FOR CROSS-MATCHING WITH OTHER PATIENTS IN FUTURE.

INCORPORATED IN MAY 1991, THE FOUNDATION RECEIVED A MAJOR BOOST IN SEPTEMBER OF THAT YEAR AS THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE CAME FORWARD AS POTENTIAL BONE MARROW DONORS WHEN A FATHER ASKED FOR HELP IN HIS SEARCH TO FIND A SUITABLE DONOR TO PROVIDE BONE MARROW FOR HIS TWO- YEAR-OLD SON.

BY THE END OF THE FOUNDATION'S FIRST YEAR, IT HAD ALREADY RECRUITED MORE THAN 15,000 DONORS, MAKING IT THE LARGEST NON-CAUCASIAN DONOR REGISTRY IN THE WORLD.

IT HAS NOW ESTABLISHED COLLABORATIVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH REGISTRIES IN LONDON AND THE USA, TO PROVIDE EVEN GREATER ACCESS TO POTENTIAL DONORS.

MRS PATTEN SAID: "SO FAR, THE FOUNDATION HAS PERFORMED DONOR SEARCHES FOR OVER 200 PATIENTS BOTH IN HONG KONG AND OVERSEAS, AND HAS FOUND MATCHES FOR A THIRD OF THESE.

"TEN TRANSPLANTS HAVE BEEN CARRIED OUT HERE USING UNRELATED DONORS FROM THE FOUNDATION'S REGISTRY.

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"CURRENTLY THERE ARE FIVE PEOPLE ALIVE IN HONG KONG AND ONE AUSTRALIA WHO WOULD ALMOST CERTAINLY BE DEAD IF IT WERE NOT MARROW MATCH FOUNDATION.'

IN

FOR

THE

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