PLEASANTON —  Janet Liang, who lives in Pleasanton and graduated from De Anza Valley High School, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (bi-phenotypic) on Aug. 24.

This was while she was finishing her bachelor's degree as an international development studies major and education minor at UCLA. A loving and dedicated friend to many who know her, Liang was a healthy, hard-working, and extremely passionate student who fell victim to this blood cancer at only 22 years of age.

Rushed to the UCLA Ronald Reagan Medical Center immediately after her diagnosis, she has just recently completed the induction phase of her chemotherapy treatment, which is often the most difficult for patients to endure.

Now, Liang is faced with the daunting task of searching for an unrelated bone marrow donor after doctors revealed that her younger brother and only sibling is not her match.

She is quite weak, but still must take all the phone calls from her doctors and insurance company, as her parents' English is not strong enough for them to help with these matters.

A marrow/stem cell transplant may be the only chance for patients with leukemia or other blood cancers to survive. Those who are not Caucasian are more likely to die of these illnesses because there is a shortage of multiethnic donors on the Be the Match Registry, operated by the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP).

“Only 30 percent of the time can a searching patient find a match from one of his or her siblings,” says Carol Gillespie, executive director of the Asian American Donor Program. “The rest of the time a patient depends upon the generosity of a complete stranger. It’s like finding a needle in a haystack.”

Marrow/stem cell drives to find a match for Liang and other patients in need are scheduled throughout November. There are two challenges to overcome. The first is to increase the number of Asians, all minority groups, and individuals of biracial heritage on the national registry. The second is to educate people about how simple giving stem cells or donating marrow is. That way, when they are contacted and advised that they are a match, they will donate.

The AADP continues its 20-year-long effort to reach out to all ethnic communities at fairs, festival, faith-based organizations, work places, colleges and more. The schedule of upcoming donor drives is as follows (visit www.aadp.org for details).

Wednesday, Nov. 4: Cadence Design Systems, San Jose

Thursday, Nov. 5: UC San Francisco

Saturday, Nov. 7: Livermore Hindu Temple, Stanford Chicanos in Health Education, Oakland Chinatown

Sunday, Nov. 8: Fairfield Sikh Temple

Tuesday, Nov. 10: University of Washington

Thursday, Nov. 12: Pleasant Hill Academy Art Show, University of Washington

Friday, Nov. 13: University of Washington

Monday, Nov. 16: AT&T San Francisco (Bush, Spear and Folsom streets), Sacramento State University

Tuesday, Nov. 17: Stanford University, Sacramento State University

Wednesday, Nov. 18: Logitech Health Fair, Stanford University, AT&T Pleasanton, AT&T San Ramon

Sunday, Nov. 22: Community Baptist Church, San Jose

Friday and Saturday, Dec. 4-5: Here Hau Dance Competition

Tuesday, Dec. 15: PG&E

Just as we inherit our eyes, hair and skin color, we inherit our marrow and stem cell tissue type. Those whose marrow/stem cells are not a match for Liang may be a match for someone else.

Volunteering to be a marrow/stem cell donor is simple. Donors must be in good general health and between the ages of 18 and 60. A cheek sample is collected on swabs for HLA testing. Participants are asked to give their consent to have their tissue type listed on the NMDP registry, which searches for patients in need.

Based in Alameda, AADP conducts about 320 marrow/stem cell drives yearly.

Jonathan Leong, founder of AADP, remarked: “It’s essential for more Latinos, Asian Americans and anyone of multiethnic heritage to become part of the bone marrow donor registry. Hopefully, one day, every patient will be able to find a compatible match and will not have to make desperate public pleas.”

To join the registry, visit the website or call (800) 593-6667.