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		     URGENT!  URGENT!  URGENT!
		     =========================
----Forwarded message on behalf of Tilak Nalaka Gunawardhane.------
********* Please forward this message to your friends. ************
++++++++++++ If possible post this in news groups. ++++++++++++++++


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From: haris@ac.dal.ca (Mahinda Perera)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.sri-lanka,soc.culture.tamil,soc.culture.indian
Subject: An appeal
Message-ID: <1995Mar29.175037.36522@ac.dal.ca>
Date: 29 Mar 95 17:50:37 -0400
Organization: Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Lines: 113


WHEN ONLY A BONE MARROW TRANSPLANT CAN SAVE MY LIFE...

My wife Risini and I were awakened that fateful morning of 21st
February '95 by the telephone which rang briefly.  The answering
machine had this message for us:
            "contact your family physician, Dr. K. Robinson, as soon
as possible"
 I looked at the clock. It was just 7.21 a.m. in the morning.  I knew
something was terribly wrong with the results of the blood test done
on the previous day.  I saw my Doctor on the previous day since I
noticed that I was loosing hair, even though the signs were more
hereditary I thought it was too early for me to go bald.  A simple
blood test done to check any deficiency of vitamins or any thing
similar, turned out a result that froze me. Yes, I have been diagnosed
with leukaemia.  I was referred to the Haematologist, Dr. Sue
Robinson. Further tests confirmed that I have the fatal blood disease,
Chronic Myelogenous Leukaemia.  Immediately chemotherapy was begun .
The only cure left for me is a bone marrow transplant at the earliest
possible opportunity.

I was completely devastated.  A million thoughts crossed my mind.
Will my two and half year daughter Shalini have to grow up without a
father , for how long will she be able to embrace me and say my
"Thaththi"?  Will I ever be able to take her to school. My wife ,
Risini, what is going to happen ...studies ..career..parents..future?
Everything seems to have come to an abrupt halt. The previous day I
jogged 3km today I just couldn't move my self at least few steps.

Most people find a match among their siblings.  But, my only brother's
marrow did not match.  The prognosis for this disease is good,
provided that a matching bone marrow donor is found.  There is a
problem however, which to say the least is frightening.  I belong to
an ethnic minority that is not well represented in the Bone Marrow
Donor registry.  In Canada, for Caucasians there is a pool of over
80,000 donors to seek a match. However, I will have to depend on a
group of South Asians that add up to less than 3000. This, same trend
prevails in North America and in the International registries
eventhough there are millions of South Asians living in countries
where registries are maintained.

 The time has come to change the status quo and increase donor
participation of all groups including minorities, so that if any one
from these ethnic groups are afflicted with such fatal disorders they
will be given a second chance at life. It was on 9th of march '95 the
cry came for help on India net , to save a 22 year old woman who was
desperately trying to find a matching bone marrow.  WAS SHE THE FIRST
AM I THE LAST.. "NO"?. It is sad but the truth is finding a match
even within ones ethnic group could be ONE in TWENTY THOUSAND and out
side the ethnic group the probability is even lower.

THE TASK LEFT TO ME IS TO FIND THE MATCH AND HAVE THE TRANSPLANT DONE
ATLEAST BY THIS FALL.  THE TIME IS RUNNING OUT FOR ME . YOU MAY BE A
PERFECT MATCH FOR ME.  YOU MAY BE MY ONLY HOPE .  EVEN IF YOU DO NOT
MATCH ME,  MAY BE ONE DAY IT WILL SAVE ANOTHER LIFE.  I AM SURE LIKE ME
THAT PERSON TOO WOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR THE SECOND CHANCE OF LIFE
RECEIVED FROM YOU.

Sometimes , you might wonder what it means to be a bone marrow
donor, whom to contact what to expect, procedure involved etc.  The
following is based on my Canadian experience.

 * The most convenient would be if you are in any of the countries
where the registries are maintained. Some of these countries are
Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, France, Germany,
Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, U.K., U.S.A.
In Canada , and in most countries Red Cross maintains the registry .
In USA Bone Marrow Registry is an independent organization.  If you
contact the local coordinator of Blood and Organ donation you will
find the details of the closest centre. You will be expected to attend
an information session.
 * Potential donors must be between the ages of 17-50, this may vary
from country to country.
 * A sample of blood (same as any other ordinary blood test) will be
drawn to identify Human Leukocyte Antigens (HLA) commonly known as
tissue typing and will be entered to the registry.
 *If the registry indicate that you are a preliminary match then they
would contact you, for additional blood tests, physical examination
and counselling. At this point you may decide whether you still want
to be a donor, if yes:
 *A small amount of your total bone marrow (3%-5%) will be extracted
under general anaesthesia. You will feel no pain as you will asleep
while the marrow is removed .  It could be a procedure of 1 - 2 hours
and you are released from the hospital on the same day. Within a few
weeks your body will regenerate the donated marrow.

 **** The donated marrow will find its way through a medical courier
to the transplant centre where the patient will have already undergone
high levels of chemotherapy and radiation to eliminate all the
diseased cells.  The donated marrow is transfused into the recipient.
If all goes well the bone marrow will start to produce normal healthy
blood cells after several weeks.
 * I believe the above would give you some idea, but best would be to
discuss in detail with the Coordinator of the programme. There may be
road blocks on your way to help me, please do not let those deter you
, think of me, what your help means to me.

I count on your support, to let your friends and community know that
they could do a great deal, as a person, a family, a group and a
community.  It is a reality of life that some of us have to pass
through dark passages in our lives. To know that you hold the light at
its end gives me hope to pass each day and to have new hopes for
tomorrow.

Yours sincerely,

Tilak Nalaka Gunawardhane.
Apt. 301-1094, Wellington st.,
Halifax, Canada.
Tel: (902) 492 3539 
Fax: (902) 492 8502, (902) 494 7022 
E-mail: RDW@ac.dal.ca