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“This year in school, I would like to learn how the Holy Spirit teaches us to do the right things.” From an “All About Me” essay, 2nd grade, Fall 2002 Joanne was born on April 18, 1993 in San Francisco, California. It was Easter Sunday, in many ways a day of re-birth and rejoicing. A sweet and loving daughter, Joanne showed an early talent and interest in music and piano. She was enrolled in The San Francisco Music Time school at the age of three. Even at such an early age she was able to follow music, notes and lyrics and would often recite them at home and later to her classmates. To further her intellectual curiosity she was enrolled at a Montessori school. Following pre-school, Joanne began to attend St. Cecilia School, in San Francisco. She quickly fit in and instantly made many friends, bringing laughter and joy to her classmates. She was a bright, twinkling star among her friends. Joanne always said she knew exactly when her leukemia started. It was April 15, 2001, Easter Sunday, on the boardwalk in Santa Cruz, when she suddenly experienced strong headaches. As a precaution, she was examined by her pediatrician, Dr. Mitchell Sollod. Her examination did not reveal anything remarkable, however her CBC was abnormal with low hemoglobin and platelet counts. Dr. Sollod initially feared a blood disease and even leukemia. As a precaution, Dr. Sollod referred Joanne to the California Pacific Medical Center (CPMC) for a bone marrow biopsy and aspiration. Her family’s worst fears were realized as the tests confirmed a diagnosis of Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML). Joanne’s battle against this disease began at the tender age of eight. She was scheduled for five rounds of chemotherapy as insurance against the disease. Six months into chemotherapy treatment, Joanne appeared to be in remission. However, in November 2001, Joanne faced a relapse of her disease and the search for a bone marrow donor began in earnest. In her war against leukemia, an immediate bone marrow transplant was Joanne’s strongest weapon. Despite a worldwide search by the staff at the UCSF Blood and Marrow Transplant Program, only one suitable match was found, and unfortunately the donor was unable to donate the marrow. Finding a match was made even more difficult by the shortage of ethnic minority marrow and cord blood donors. Nearly one year after her diagnosis of leukemia, Joanne was taken to Duke University Medical Center where a match of umbilical cord blood was found. However, her small body was so ravaged by chemotherapy, and the leukemia too deeply embedded in her system, that the transplant was unsuccessful. Six months later she died. Had she received a marrow or cord blood transplant early in her treatment, she most likely would have lived.
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about Joanne Pang
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Up to 90% of those destined to die due to the shortage of matching, transplantable bone marrow could be saved by cord blood. |
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© 2008, Joanne Pang Foundation. All rights reserved. |
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about Joanne |
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See Daddy! That’s The New Kite, by Joanne’s father, Joe Pang. The book is an account of nine year-old Joanne’s valiant battle with leukemia and the subsequent effects on her loving family. All proceeds are used to help needy patients and their families.
This book is also available in Chinese.
Visit Joe’s blog. |