Source: Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans (PAAIA)

Twenty-Six Year Old Iranian Woman in Desperate Need of Matching Bone Marrow Transplant

To all of my fellow Iranians living in the U.S.,

My name is Mona Zarei and I am writing to you from the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, Florida.

I am a 26-yearold graduate of Sharif University in Tehran, currently a PhD student in Electrical Engineering at the Florida International University.  Unfortunately after only four months living in America, in November 2007 I was diagnosed with a rare blood disorder which has gradually led to bone marrow failure.

Despite the dramatic affects of the disease on my day-to-day life and its harsh unknown emerging consequences, I have fulfilled my studies, teaching, and research obligations in order to keep my scholarship and health insurance. During this time, my physicians have exhausted all available means and treatments to control the symptoms of my incurable condition. Still I am struggling with the dangerous complications of my condition. Despite my deep desire for their presence by my side, my parents were not granted visitor's visas to come and visit me and stay by my bedside. I have fought this by myself for almost two years trying to stay strong and keep my spirits high.

Within the last two months, I have been repeatedly hospitalized in the intensive care unit (ICU). As my medical team has concluded, my only option for survival is a bone marrow transplant. I have tried several bone marrow banks, but have not been successful in finding a match.  

Scientifically, the possibility of finding a match among Iranians is higher than those of other nationalities. It is for this reason that I am reaching out to you for help in saving my life.

The test that will determine your bone marrow type requires only a few cells that you yourself can easily swab from your cheek. The test doesn't hurt you in any way and won't cost you a cent!  Through the kind support of PACI (Persian American Cancer Institute), anyone can be tested for FREE through 1/31/2010.  To register and receive a FREE test kit, visit www.paci.org.

If you do turn out to be my match, all I will need is some of the stem cells of your blood to be transferred to my body.  This still doesn't require surgery, only a little bit of your blood.

These past few months of hardship have caused me to reach the end of my rope.  I am unsure how much longer I have to live.  But what I do know is that the one thing that can save my life is a matching donor.

And with Iranians like you, I am unwilling to lose hope!

I desperately need your help and kind support in finding my match.

... Payvand News - 12/28/09 ... --

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