COMMUNITY /August 27-28th! BE A DB BLOOD HERO

August 27-28th! BE A DB BLOOD HERO

TANYA INKIN AND ADA WONG

Powered by City Management, Tanya Inkin and Ada Wong are on a mission to demystify blood and bone marrow donation, even if that means parking an 11-metre truck in DB Plaza. Elizabeth Kerr reports

Discovery Bay residents Tanya Inkin and Ada Wong are drumming up buzz for their second blood drive since May, part of a crusade to spread awareness and action regarding blood and bone marrow donation they’ve recently embarked on. The pair look remarkably cool – literally – sitting by the window of Pacific Coffee. Ada’s fresh from the gym and Tanya sports a modified Superman t-shirt emblazoned with symbols in support of her 13-year-old son Luke, who’s in the last six months of intensive leukaemia treatment.

To send the message that regular blood donation is an easy way to help a lot of people, and that bone marrow donation doesn’t demand a spinal tap, Tanya and Ada have arranged for the Hong Kong Red Cross (HKRC) to park its mobile donation truck in DB Plaza for two days on August 27 and 28, from 11am to 5pm. Day two coincides with a special community-led market in DB Plaza to raise funds for local resident and popular HK Dragons football coach Christian Romano’s own cancer fight. Hemingway’s is hosting a Mission for Christian concert the same evening.

GIVE BLOOD IN DB PLAZA

Needless to say, Tanya and Ada are looking to duplicate the success of their May blood drive at Bayview House of Children, which signed up over 40 new donors and registered 30 bone marrow donors. The community-targeted event rolled in a bake sale the same day and collected HK$4,600 for the HKRC. “The idea was to generate a fun community day, and encourage the neighbours to swing by and join us for treats,” says Ada with a grin. “Eight DB-based home bakers donated their time to bake goods, and a large contingent of Discovery College and Discovery Bay International School students came out to man the stall.

“DB City Management is financially sponsoring the August event for us,” Ada adds. “Going forward, the blood drives will continue to be held in the HKRC truck unless any private DB businesses have an alternative space to provide.” Crucial to Ada and Tanya’s mission is conveying just how easy blood and bone marrow donation truly is. It’s like owning a coffee shop: if you have the parts for coffee, you have tea… so do both. Marrow donors are only contacted if a match is made, it’s as intensive as donors choose, and you can always change your mind. As a bonus, regenerative health benefits have been associated with regular blood donation, and many disqualifying criteria evaporated in 2020. “Most of us have been in Hong Kong for more than three months, so a lot more people have suddenly become eligible,” Ada understates. “The windows on exposure to mad cow disease and travel to countries with widespread malaria have shrunk.”

A PERSONAL CRUSADE

“The reason I do these drives is personal,” opens Tanya. “My son was diagnosed with leukaemia in 2013 when he was five, and he relapsed in 2019. This is close to my heart because he came very close to needing a bone marrow transplant. During the course of his treatment protocol, he needed multiple transfusions. There’s not a lot of awareness in Hong Kong. There were people that wanted to support us, and who asked, ‘What can we do?’ This has become dear to me, so wherever you are, you can give blood or register to become a bone marrow donor.”

Both Tanya (a 16-year DB resident) and native Hongkonger Ada have children enrolled at Discovery College – Luke, his 15-year-old sister, and Ada’s sons, aged 10 and 12. They eventually met through mutual friends when, like many people in DB, the latter reached out to see how she could help Tanya and her family in 2020.

“I just recently got to know Tanya and understand her story, and realise the importance of the bone marrow registry,” says Ada, whose career in investment banking brought her home, after stints in London, Sydney and San Francisco, five years ago.

At the Bayview House of Children Blood drive in May

"It costs you nothing, or very little, to give someone the best chance at life

- Tanya Inkin

“I think of my mom, and my sister – both nurses,” Ada adds. “My mom saved lives before she retired, and my sister has set up special COVID-19 wards. Those are selfless acts. I don't save lives in my banking job, so it’s felt great to find a niche in promoting cancer awareness where I can help to make a real difference in the world and maybe in lives.”

FIGHTING DONOR FATIGUE

As the pair is quick to point out, blood is needed all the time, not just after tsunamis and earthquakes. A quick look at the HKRC website reveals the city is about 10 days away from a blood shortage in the event of a disaster. Tanya admits to blood and marrow being off her own radar until she needed it.

“I’ve learnt so much; I was just as ignorant as everyone else,” she states. “I feel it’s more relatable now because people know me, we have a relationship, and they’re willing to listen. My experience has given me a platform.” Ada agrees, adding that there are cultural elements that need consideration, even though Hongkongers are, on average, generous.

“In Hong Kong and China, you don't want to die with a body missing any organs,” she only partly jokes. “That’s an obstacle. But I think people can associate with and relate to giving blood, because it can serve so many needs.” And it’s not a particular hard sell, even with very real donor fatigue to fight. Awareness campaigns have gotten creative too. It’s not all about blood trucks. Ada has hosted livestream concerts from her backyard for campaigns, and DB artists have donated work for proceeds to go to the HKRC.

For her part, Tanya is pleased to report that Luke is responding well to his latest round of treatment. And, there’s been a silver lining to lockdown: All Luke’s friends are here, and online schooling has kept him more current academically than he would have been 20 years ago. As grim as the pandemic is, it’s forced a recognition of better hygiene and public health, and rethinking our collective priorities.

“It’s no exaggeration to say you can make an amazing difference; you have the opportunity and potential to save someone’s life, or give them longer, better quality of life,” finishes Tanya. “And you might never get to unless you've put your hand up for it. It costs you nothing, or very little, to give someone the best chance at life. If anyone takes anything away from this, this is what I want it to be.”

To donate blood or register as a bone marrow donor on August 27 or 28 in DB Plaza, scan the barcode below. When confirmation emails are sent out, you will receive a form which includes key screening criteria and the phone number of a HKRC nurse in case you have any questions. (Walk-in donors are also welcome.)