An online campaign titled “Save Ruth” (https://saveruth.com/) is seeking possible stem cell donors for a patient with a life-threatening blood disease.
“Ruth (Wu) is a beloved mother and wife who lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband, Roy, and their daughter, Naomi,” organizers said. “She waited a long time to welcome Naomi into her life. Now all she wants is to live to see her grow up and be there for her family.
“Ruth is receiving treatment for relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia. She needs a stem cell donor now. Finding a match for Asians and other people of color is difficult due to the lack of diversity in the donor registry. YOU can change that.
“Find out now if you are a match with a simple swab of your cheek. Time is of the essence for Ruth.
“Ruth needs a peripheral blood stem cell transplant. Blood stem cells enable one’s body to produce: white blood cells, needed to fight infection; red blood cells that carry oxygen to, and remove waste from, our body’s cells; platelets that help blood clot.
“Peripheral blood stem cell transplant is a different and simpler donation process than bone marrow transplant. All that is needed to find out if you’re a match is a swab of your cheeks.
“Finding a matching stem cell donor depends on the patient’s ethnicity. For Ruth, specifically, there is only a 20-25% chance of matching through the registry. You can change this by registering as a donor and by sharing this site with others.
“Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) are proteins — or markers — found on most cells in your body. These markers are used to match patients with donors. The closer the match the better the chances the patient’s body will accept the donated cells and allow them to grow and make new healthy cells.
“You can find out if you are a match with a couple swabs from your cheek. Order your test kit now.
“Ruth needs a stem cell transplant to survive. Finding a donor with the closest match of HLA is how Ruth will win her battle with cancer.
“We need donors. Please consider this opportunity to save a life. Thank you!”
For further details, visit the website, which includes a blog by Wu providing updates on her condition.