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-- <October
1 ,
2003> Congresswoman
Bordallo Supports FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – October 1, 2003 – Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo submitted a statement in support of H.R. 3034, which reauthorizes the National Bone Marrow Donor Registry program. Bordallo concluded her statement with a remembrance of Guam's little hero Justice Taitague. "The critical need for donors of African-American, Asian/Pacific Islander, Hispanic, American Indian/Alaska Native descent was made clear to me by the story of a five-year-old little girl from Guam whose life was cut short by leukemia. Her name was Justice Taitague. Her best chance for life was a marrow transplant from a member of her ethnic group. The donor list at the time could not provide a match, but everyone involved in her care would not give up. Through the efforts of Dr. Thomas Shieh, the Guam Medical Society, and the National and Hawaiian Marrow Donor Programs, the first ever marrow drive on Guam was held on her behalf. This "Drive for Justice" registered thirty-four hundred volunteers in just three days. Tragically, she passed away less than a week after the drive. But her life has given hope to others of Asian/Pacific Island descent needing a stem-cell transplant and helped us to understand the importance of the National Marrow Donor Program. Mr. Speaker, I fully support H.R. 3034 to reauthorize the National Marrow Donor Registry. There is still a critical need for donors from the Asian, Pacific Islander and other minority communities to give the gift of life. Join the Registry."
Contact: Neil Weare
in Washington, D.C., at (202) 225-1188 or Joaquin
Perez in Guam at (671) 477-4272. |
