Estella Kim
Photo Credit: Estella Kim

A Horrifying Diagnosis

Estella Kim has acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a husband, and a newly adopted two year old son. She desperately needs to find a matching bone marrow donor. In fact, it’s really her only chance to beat her leukemia.

Estella was over the moon when she and her husband Daniel adopted a little boy who had been in their care since he was 6 months old. So the ER visit for shoulder pain and fatigue had completely changed her world when the doctor told her she might have cancer. A biopsy soon confirmed her worst fears.

Photo Credit: Estella Kim

Kim is of Korean descent. Unfortunately, there are not many Asian bone marrow donors on the registry. As she simultaneously goes through a few rounds of chemotherapy, she also has to work to find a bone marrow donor. Things also didn’t get better when her father Ki Chun Kim suddenly passed away days before this article was out.

Talking to Estella, I have to admire her will to live and her indomitable spirit. Her faith in God and the support of her family and friends also sustain her. It’s clear what needs to happen.

Register To Be A Bone Marrow Donor

To register to be a donor or see if you are a match for Estella  text “Estella”  to the number  61474 or go to http://join.bethematch.org/hope4estella. A cheek swab will be mailed to the home of those who registered. You will be contacted if you are a match to donate bone marrow to someone who is waiting for it.

The Elk Grove Tribune offers our heartfelt condolences to the Kim family. We sincerely encourage all of you to register to be a bone marrow donor and see if you are a match for Estella or anybody else on the waiting list.