STAR-BULLETIN / 2004
A bone marrow drive Saturday will look for tissue matches for Anthony Nguyen, left, and his brothers Kevin and Tuan. The brothers suffer from Hyper IgM syndrome, a rare disease cured only by a bone marrow transplant.
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Brothers inspire Palolo marrow drive
A bone marrow drive will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday during the annual Palolo Pride and Health Fair to try to find tissue matches for three brothers, and others who need bone marrow transplants.
Tuan Nguyen, 16, and his younger brothers Kevin, 15, and Anthony, 13, have been diagnosed with Hyper IgM syndrome, a rare blood disorder that can be cured only with a bone marrow or stem cell transplant. The disease weakens the body's ability to fight off infections.
Tuan and Anthony are in Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children, and Anthony has been in and out of the hospital, said Roy Yonashiro, donor recruitment coordinator at the Hawaii Bone Marrow Donor Registry.
The Registry at St. Francis Medical Center has been searching for matching donors for the teenagers, sons of single mother Lan Nguyen, for more than two years.
Since matches are more likely between people of the same ethnic background, and many immigrant families live in Palolo, the registry hopes to reach Asian/Pacific Islander donors at the Palolo Pride fair.
Tuan, in a Star-Bulletin interview two years ago, said he wanted to be a doctor and has had a lot of practice caring for his younger brothers and himself. The boys have a 10-year-old sister who is a carrier of the genetic disease, but only males are affected.
Bone marrow donors must be between ages 18 and 60 and in good general health.
For more information about becoming a donor, or to update information for an earlier registration, call 547-6154 or visit www.stfrancishawaii.org/hawaiibonemarrow.
Palolo Pride, being held at Palolo District Park Gym, 2007 Palolo Ave., also will have food, informational booths, games, entertainment, blood pressure screenings, body fat analysis, glucose testing and eye screening for children.