thanks from janet
Last week, CASA organized our FIRST EVER CASA BONE MARROW DRIVE for our friend Janet Liang from UCLA. Thanks to our members Annie and Jasper who dropped by to volunteer for us. You guys were a great help!
Thanks to all our members, non-members and the USC community who registered to be a bone marrow donor. You guys are on the way to saving someone’s life! We’re super proud of you!
Here is a letter from Janet that she sent us:
Dear Joanne, Billy, Gloria and USC CASA,
I had originally wanted to make a personal Youtube video to thank you for all your efforts in registering donors recently with A3M (Asians for Miracle Matches). Unfortunately, my blood counts have dramatically decreased and my energy is quite low these days due to the side effects of chemotherapy and many oral medications. I didn’t want you to see my unenthusiastic, pale face akin to the likes of a vampire. Still, I wanted to thank you for offering to host a three-day drive at the USC campus. That is incredible, because quite honestly even one donor could have made all the difference for me and other patients suffering from life-threatening blood diseases.
In particular, this drive was very special, because you chose to help a UCLA student (enemy Bruin), even though I know you are all proud Trojans! That says a lot about your character and your generosity to help even along bitter, ruthless crosstown rivalries. This makes it hard for me to continue to refer to you guys in code name as I’ve always muttered “mustard and ketchup” whenever I saw a USC student in the backyards of Westwood. With all this silliness aside, you came together for me because it was a time of need regardless of school affiliations and powerful allegiances. We share a proud Chinese heritage together and above all else, we share the willingness to be human with one another.
So I thank you USC CASA for all that you’ve done for me. There are no words to describe how I feel except happiness, appreciation, and gratitude — feelings that allow me to get through the difficult days ahead with the fight against aggressive leukemia, which I’ve nicknamed “Mr. Luke”. I hope you can return to your families after studying so hard with lots of hearty dim sum and home-cooked family meals.
Happy Thanksgiving, because I’m thankful for you.
Love,
Janet
