Opinion: 134-plus registered marrow donors and counting for a sick LAPD officer
To the editor: As a Los Angeles Police Department officer, it’s not uncommon for strangers to thank me for my services. Now, it’s my turn to thank a group of strangers.
Recently, my partner, Officer Matthew Medina, received an outpouring of support following a Times article about his need for a marrow transplant. More than 134 people joined the Be the Match Registry after reading his story. (“An LAPD officer needs a bone marrow transplant. His ethnicity limits his chances of getting one,” June 22)
There is an urgent need for marrow donors, especially for people of color. Patients typically match a donor of their same ethnicity, but most potential donors are white and Matt is Filipino. He is still looking for his match.
To those 134+ people: You have given hope to thousands of patients, including Matt. For that I am forever grateful.
If you want to learn more about the registry or join as a committed donor, visit join.bethematch.org/match4matt. Thanks again to those who already have.
Dante Pagulayan, Long Beach
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