THE GIFT OF HOPE: 2009 Presidential Inaugural Committee’s National Day of Service

January 19, 2009 was the Presidential Inaugural Committee’s National Day of Service, and on this day, Americans, throughout America, and Americans who came to Washington D.C. for the 2009 Presidential Inauguration, heeded President Barack Obama’s call for national public service.

On this National Day of Service, Americans were noble. Americans were selfless. Americans renewed their promise to public service by giving a gift that money can’t buy.

Americans gave “The Gift of Hope.” Americans gave the gift of humanity by registering to donate their bone marrow to save a human life.

Why?

Because Americans with a bone-marrow related leukemia should have a 90% chance of finding a “perfect bone marrow match.”

Unfortunately, in 2008, not all Americans had the same likelihood of finding a “perfect match.”

In fact, African-Americans have a 60% likelihood of finding a perfect match, while Asian American Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) are the 2nd least likely, Hispanics the 3rd least likely and Native Americans the 4th least likely, to find a “perfect bone marrow match.”

This is a statistic and outcome that can be “changed” in the 2009 Year of Change.

Inspired by President-Elect Barack Obama’s Call to Action for the National Day of Service, and the story of a hard-working AAPI father with myelodysplasia, whose desire to find a bone marrow match is driven by his desire is to care for his family and see his 7-month old and 2 year-old grow up, Asian American Pacific Islanders for Obama (AAPIs for Obama), Asian Pacific Americans for Progress (APAP), APIAVote, Asian Pacific American Medical Students Association (APAMSA), Asian American Donor Program (AADP), Asian Miracle Marrow Matches (A3M), South Asian Marrow Association of Recruiters (SAMAR) and the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) joined forces to mount a four-day Call to Action for the 2009 Presidential Inaugural Committee’s National Day of Service.

So starting on Saturday, January 17th:

- UC Davis undergraduate and medical students launched the AAPIs for Obama Presidential Inaugural Committee’s National Day of Service by inviting the Asian American Donor Fund to conduct a bone marrow drive at at the Paul Hom Asian Clinic in Sacramento, the oldest student-run Asian-American free clinic in America. It was a “perfect beginning” and “perfect tribute” because the Paul Hom Asian Clinic was founded by Dr. Paul Hom in the 1960’s as a grassroots tribute to public service. Dr. Hom went to law school with the late Congressmember Robert Matsui, the beloved Sacramento-based Congressmember, who passed away from a bone-marrow related condition, and whose wife, Congressmember Doris Matsui, is introducing bone-marrow related legislation in the 111th Congress.

- Long Beach City Councilmembers Dee Andrews and Suja Lowenthal secured a booth at the Long Beach Martin Luther King Day Parade and Health Pavilion, so a multi-cultural team of volunteers from APAMSA UCLA, APAMSA UCI and King/Drew could team up with Asian Miracle Marrow Matches (A3M) to conduct a bone marrow drive in one of the most ethnically diverse cities in America.

- The patient’s sister, Jeanne Kwong, a Health Educator who specializes in Multi-Cultural Health, worked with Asian American Donor Program (AADP) to conduct a bone marrow drive at the Tet Festival in San Francisco’s historically African-American, and now also South East Asian, Tenderloin District.

Continuing with Sunday, January 18th:

- South Asian Marrow Association of Recruiters (SAMAR) conducted a bone marrow drive in Virginia.

Continuing with Monday, January 19th, Martin Luther King Day and the National Day of Service:

- AAPIs for Obama, APAMSA John Hopkins Medical School, APIAVote, APAs for Progress, National Marrow Donor Program Asian American Donor Program, Asian Miracle Marrow Matches and South Asian Marrow Association of Recruiters, and the DC Mayor’s Office, worked together to conduct a Bone Marrow Drive at the APIAVote Town Hall at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Washington D.C. Former Washington State Governor Gary Locke, one of the featured speakers at the APIAVote Town Hall, surprised the collaboration by offering to use his speaking time to answer the call to National Service, by encouraging everyone attending the APIAVote TownHall to donate their bone marrow and/or “pledge it forward” by organizing a bone marrow drive in their respective AAPI communities. As a result, one of the most diverse pools of elected officials and community leaders, from the Cambodian-American to the Vietnamese-American community, volunteered in service to America by joining the Bone Marrow Registry and/or organizing a bone marrow drive in AAPI communities between January 19, 2009 (National Day of Service) and May, 2009 (Asian Pacific American Heritage Month).

- Asian American Donor Program (AADP) worked with APAMSA Stanford University, APAMSA UCSF, APAs for Progress, APIAVote and Family Bridges, to conduct a bone marrow drive at the Renaissance Plaza in Oakland, California. The Oakland Chinatown drive was AAPs for Obama’s signature event because of long-time relationships among the community leaders who personify public service. The Oakland Chinatown bone marrow drive featured CBS Cook Islands “Survivor” celebrity Yul Kwon, an official spokesperson for the National Marrow Donor Program. Yul is passionate about inspiring Asian American Pacific Islanders and other minorities to donate bone marrow for the NMDP, because his college roommate passed away because he couldn’t find a bone marrow match in time. Yul was joined by Oakland City Councilmember Jean Quan, a long-time friend of the patient’s sister, who showed everyone at the event how easy it is to “pledge it forward” by taking a simple swab test to register for the Bone Marrow Registry. Yul was also joined by the patient’s niece, whose Chinese Musical Ensemble was invited to perform at the 11th Annual Day of Service Tribute to Martin Luther King at Taylor Church, which is adjacent to Oakland Chinatown.

and culminating on Tuesday, January 20, 2009, Inauguration Day:

- As millions converged in Washington, DC to witness the official swearing-in of President Barack Obama, and attend the D.C.-based Neighborhood Ball, what was happening in D.C. was happening in “neighborhoods” across America. To “think globally and act locally,” the Asian American Donor Program (AADP) and APAMSA organized a bone marrow drive featuring Yul Kwon, between 7 AM - 10 AM, when thousands of Californians converged at the Oracle Coliseum, to watch the Official Swearing-In of President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden via satellite TV.

January 19th was more than a National Day of Service, it was a Call to Action.

This weekend, hundreds of AAPIs throughout America, volunteered, in service to America.

Hundreds volunteered to donate their bone marrow.

But as important, dozens of AAPI leaders and AAPI elected officials “Pledged It Forward” and agreed to organize a bone marrow drive in their community from this day forward.

That’s why “The Gift of Hope” was a success.

Because civic engagement, and the “Gift of Hope” is about the ripple effect that is needed to renew America’s promise.

It’s not limited to one day, it’s something that must be cultivated, to continue to grow, and continue to give, eachand every day, for America’s future.