“Blood Ties” Book Launching Ceremony

10-06-2008 11 a.m. Yayasan Guan Yin, Amcorp Mall

Lin Ai Ling, the renowned Chinese writer, had collaborated with YGY to publish a book on Thalassemia and leukemia, title “Blood Ties”. The Chinese publication gives us a glimpse into the life of Thalassemia and leukemia patients and their struggle to stay alive. Their long hard journey is mercifully accompanied by their family, their friends, and volunteers who came to know these patients. Everyone prays with all their heart that a good Samaritan would donate their bone marrow to these patients and give them a chance to live.

Yayasan Guan Yin has the honor to have Datin Tan Swee Lai officially launch our new publication.

This is the nation’s first mandarin compilation on Thalassemia. Above that, Yayasan Guan Yin is donating 1,000 copies to the Selangor Bone Marrow Transplant Association for the association to raise funds for their noble cause. Anyone who purchases the book would help these needy people. The book is priced at RM 22 each, which include postal fees.

A volunteer worker, who is also a patient’s mother whose child passes away last year battling the disease told Ai Ling, she doesn’t want to see anyone else children suffering from Thalassemia. She wishes that all married couples that are planning to have children go for a blood test to check whether they are Thalassemia carriers. She also stated that she doesn’t want any heartbreak to happen, like how it happened to her and her own child.

Another father, whose child is a leukemia patient, told Ai Ling, after going through two years suffering and hardships. “If you experience cases like this, please consult professional advice, even asking someone who experienced it before is good enough. Cancer patient can live a quality life by keeping a healthy lifestyle and having a proper diet.”

A young boy of four donated his bone marrow to save his younger brother, admitted that it changed both their lives. Now, both brothers tell about their touching experiences during the transplant.

This is a heartwarming book; it doesn’t have the exhilaration and drama that of a normal story. But it is a book that would make you feel the loving kindness and the family bonds that we should treasure.