The family of a Southern California man is seeking a life-saving bone marrow match as he battles a recurrence of leukemia.
In a letter to the community, the Goodman family writes:
“Many of us watched him grow up at the Orange County Buddhist Church (OCBC) playing basketball and participating in many other youth organizations. His love for the community has led him to the current day where he volunteers as a tech advisor for OCBC programs and serves as a counselor for the Los Angeles Buddhist Coordinating Council (LABCC) church camp. When he is not helping out at OCBC, he is a writer, director and editor at his very own production company which allows him to bring his stories to life. As Paul continues to fight to get back to doing things he loves, please consider signing up to become a possible bone marrow donor."
For more information about the registry process, including registering to be a donor, please click here.
For Goodman, who is biracial, the ideal match would be a donor who is 50 percent Japanese and 50 percent Caucasian and between the ages of 18 and 44.
According to Athena Mari Asklipiadis of Asians for Miracle Marrow Matches, only seven percent of the bone marrow registry is of mixed race. Asklipiadis and Jeff Chiba Stearns created the documentary “Mixed Match” about the search for bone marrow donors for mixed-race blood cancer patients.
Upon registering, the potential donor will receive a kit in the mail requiring a sample to be submitted by swabbing the inside of one’s mouth.
“We are so grateful to everyone for the love, support, and encouragement we are receiving daily from family, friends, and the community. Just knowing that everyone is thinking of Paul gives us strength during this challenging time,” the Goodman family said.
Paul is not able to receive cards, but you can send encouraging words to him via Instagram @notsogoodman.
To learn more about becoming a donor, please click here.
