Rachael and a friend, Steve Anderson (The writer and director of "The Big Empty"), are trying to find help for a friend... Christine Pechera. Christine has Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma and needs a bone marrow transplant to save her life. Please read the message below from Rachael and the one from Steve. Steve's letter has information on how you can help. Please feel free to share this information with anyone you know. You can help even by just spreading the word! Let's hope we can help save a life, gang!

This message will also be sent to the mailing list later today.

-TR




Hello Everyone,

1st of all, thank you for being willing to be on a mailing list (and message board) for the site. It means so much to me, really.

It is humbling that you care (or want to see what God awful thing I've done to my hair this month, either way).

I promise not to ask much of any of you, but I am incredibly moved by Christine's situation and I know that so many of you are big-hearted people who would also like to help.

Even if we are not directly donating we can help Christine by getting the word out.

Let's see how far the Web can take this. Let's not be afraid to send these links and letters to people who we haven't talked to for too long, or don't know all that well. This could have happened to any of us. No one will think you are odd to care about a stranger. We don't know who will be able to make the difference. The odds are worrisome; this is even more reason for us to shake every tree.

Thank you all from the bottom of my heart.

~Rachael






Hello everybody,

My Filipina friend, Christine Pechera needs your help! Over the holidays she was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma and given only a year to live if she doesn't have a bone marrow transplant.

While the National Marrow Donor Program has thousands of registered donors, only 30% of those registered are minorities. That includes ALL minorities.

We CAN save Christine's life, but we need your help. The only way we can find her miracle match is to register thousands of Filipinos.

This is an urgent plea, if you are Filipino, or you know a Filipino, please consider hosting a simple blood drive within your community. The
registration is simple, it's a pin prick, and it's FREE for minorities.

We ARE mobilizing and people have done the most amazing things, but we've got to take action. If
you are Filipino and having a family reunion, party, or if you are part of a church, it's so easy to have the National Marrow Donor Program, or one of the local organizations listed below, show up at your event and have your community get registered.

HOW TO REGISTER AND/OR HOST A DRIVE:

If you live in Southern California:

Contact Asian Miracle Matches:
(888) 236-4673 toll free
www.asianmarrow.org
Contact: Nicole

In Northern California you can contact AADP for the same services:

1-800-59DONOR toll free
www.aadp.org
Contact: Asia

On the East Coast you can contact:

1-800-77CAMMY toll free
www.cllf.org
Contact: Maria

To find an org near you, ck the link below:

http://www.marrow.org/cgi-bin/NETWORK/map.pl?ctr_typ=DC

IMPORTANT: When you register, tell them you're Filipino and that you're friends for Christine Pechera! That is the only way the registration will be expedited and Christine will find a match in time.

If you run into any problems at the drive, call Susan Podolsky at the National Marrow Donor Program at 612-884-8567.

Please print this email and bring the number with you in case you run into any problems. This is the only way we can make sure Christine's doctors get the information in time.

THANK YOU for all the support!

To get updates on Christine and upcoming drives through myspace, check out here site here:

http://www.myspace.com/bonemarrowdonor

Or become part of her yahoo! group here:

www.christine.site.ph

If none of these links have answered your questions, and you'd really like to talk to someone close to Christine, email her friend Christine Beebe at beebe@laturistafilms.com She'd be glad to point you in the right direction of how you can help.

Thanks, Steve Anderson
Writer/Director - "The Big Empty"

This message has been edited. Last edited by: TR,

Bonjour a tous,
Tout d'abord bravo à ces messages pour aider les personnes en difficultées, je sais que je n'ai pas tout bien saisi avec mon bon anglais...
En attendant, bravo pour ceux qui pourront apporter leur aide a christine et aussi ce forum fais quand même le tour du monde et ce message est bien passé ( moi même l'ayant vu en france )
Toujours pour dire que nous pouvons toujours aider et seul nous en avons les moyens, aider ne veux pas dire donner, aider veux dire apporter son soutien aux personnes qui en ont besoin et dieu sait que personne aujourdhui ne peux arriver seul à son but...( ou alors avec beaucoup de mal )
Qui sais demain de quoi est fait ?
Peux être auriez vous besoin un jour de l'aide que vous n'avez jamais voulu apporter !
En tout cas souvenez vous que personne n'est à l'abri de quoi que ce soit ...
Bravo Rachael L C =)

Hello has all, First of all bravo to these messages to help the persons difficultées, I know that I did not quite well seize with my good English...
In the meantime, bravo for those who can bring their help(assistant) has christine and also this forum make all the same the tour of the world and this message is crossed(spent) well (I even having seen him(it) in France)
Always to say that we can always help and only we have the means of it, to help do not mean giving(looking), helping mean bringing his(her,its) support for the persons who need it and god knows that nobody aujourdhui can only achieve the aim (or then with a lot of evil) Who know tomorrow about what is made?
Can be would have you need one day of the help(assistant) which you have never wanted to bring!
At least remember you whom nobody is shielded from whatever it is...
Bravo Rachael L C =)

Gee, wish Rachael mobilized the troops for me when I had cancer last fall.

quote:

Originally posted by Dizzy_Girl:
Gee, wish Rachael mobilized the troops for me when I had cancer last fall.

Dizzy, we didn't know you had cancer. What kind was it? Should we understand from you rpost that you are now cured of it? I'm glad things are looking better for you now. If we knew you needed help, we would have "mobilized the troops" for you too.

-TR

rachael i have cancer will you come and see me?

This isn't really something to joke about. I think it's admirable that Rachael is trying to help, and I will spread the word as much as I can.

Its really feeling nice to have some writings from Rachael herself, and its for a good cause so its multi-ultra-hyper NICE!!!

support for starsgoblind, if chance doesnt have cancer i have only two words for him/her .... ... !

Pour Manu: >>>> Je pense que Manu a raconté comme je sentis pour la situation et réponse que Rachael a donné...
A Voir!
Viva La Republique Française!!!

I only have one Filipino friend and I passed the message to her. If she can't help, I know she has a lot of Filipino connections so she can help get the word out.

It shouldn't matter whether or not Rachael is asking for our help. We should want to help someone in need regardless of who is behind their cause.

I also looked up Christine Pechera on IMDb. She must be the same person because she co-produced the latest film that Steve Anderson directed (film name left out on purpose). IMDb had this to say, "Battled cancer in 2002/2003. A bone marrow transplant survivor, her poetry and involvement have helped to greatly inspire others." I'm assuming that she can't use the same donor as last time, but it is sad that she has had to go through this before.

I wish Christina the best of luck in finding a compatible donor.

TR,
Please let us know if you hear whether or not a donor is found.


Trapped in Reality

Damn, I should have used a different name because I can’t abbreviate it or it is too close to TR and that would be blasphemy

Trapped in Reality,

That's great that you passed the message along to a friend that might be able to help. Thank you.

About the info on IMDb that says that Christine is a bone marrow transplant survivor... that is partly true. She had a special procedure done that uses your OWN stem cells as the transplant tissue... so she actually gave HERSELF a bone marrow transplant, in a way. The procedure she endured is extremely risky and very hard to battle through. Thankfully, she made it... but now this news sprung up only recently that her cancer is back. Sadly, cancer has plagued her family and her younger brother died when he was only 16; he would have been the only suitable donor for her in her family. In fact, she was a donor for his bone marrow transplant years before she was diagnosed with her cancer. It is definitely a sad story, but we want it to have a happier ending! Get the word out, gang! I know you can all help!

And don't worry... I will be sure to keep you all updated on this.

-TR

quote:

Originally posted by TR:

quote:

Originally posted by Dizzy_Girl:
Gee, wish Rachael mobilized the troops for me when I had cancer last fall.

Dizzy, we didn't know you had cancer. What kind was it? Should we understand from you rpost that you are now cured of it? I'm glad things are looking better for you now. If we knew you needed help, we would have "mobilized the troops" for you too.

-TR

That's okay, I didn't really tell a lot of people about it when I had it.

I had Hodgkin's lymphoma and yes, at this time, I have been through chemotherapy and radiation therapy, so it is gone.

All in all, I endured it pretty well. I just got lonely sometimes, since my parents and I had moved to a new city right before treatment started, so I didn't have any friends close by to visit.

quote:

Originally posted by Dizzy_Girl:
I had Hodgkin's lymphoma and yes, at this time, I have been through chemotherapy and radiation therapy, so it is gone.

All in all, I endured it pretty well. I just got lonely sometimes, since my parents and I had moved to a new city right before treatment started, so I didn't have any friends close by to visit.

I'm so sorry you had to go through that... and without your friends nearby. Thank goodness the treatment worked for you. I just wanted to give this to you too... *hug*

-TR

quote:

Originally posted by TR:
Trapped in Reality,

That's great that you passed the message along to a friend that might be able to help. Thank you.

About the info on IMDb that says that Christine is a bone marrow transplant survivor... that is partly true. She had a special procedure done that uses your OWN stem cells as the transplant tissue... so she actually gave HERSELF a bone marrow transplant, in a way. The procedure she endured is extremely risky and very hard to battle through. Thankfully, she made it... but now this news sprung up only recently that her cancer is back. Sadly, cancer has plagued her family and her younger brother died when he was only 16; he would have been the only suitable donor for her in her family. In fact, she was a donor for his bone marrow transplant years before she was diagnosed with her cancer. It is definitely a sad story, but we want it to have a happier ending! Get the word out, gang! I know you can all help!

And don't worry... I will be sure to keep you all updated on this.

-TR

Thanks, TR. And, that's terrible. I really hope they find a donor and everything turns out well. I've posted the original messages & info on my journal and on a forum I frequent. Hopefully, it will be posted at many places by many people until it reaches someone who can help.

So everything is set, alright? about Christine?

quote:

Originally posted by creativee:
So everything is set, alright? about Christine?

Nothing is set yet. Christine still needs a donor. Get the word out, gang!

-TR

I don't know if Rachael reads these but I wanted to say hi to Rachael, I'm assuming she got my letter some time several months ago I also wanted to say that it is really sad about Christine! I will pray for her and I hope that all goes well. I'd sure like to spread the word, but I'm afraid I wouldn't really know how or where to do so, but I will when oportunity knocks
God Bless!
With much love,
David.

quote:

HOW TO REGISTER AND/OR HOST A DRIVE:

If you live in Southern California:

Contact Asian Miracle Matches:
(888) 236-4673 toll free
www.asianmarrow.org
Contact: Nicole

In Northern California you can contact AADP for the same services:

1-800-59DONOR toll free
www.aadp.org
Contact: Asia

On the East Coast you can contact:

1-800-77CAMMY toll free
www.cllf.org
Contact: Maria

To find an org near you, ck the link below:

http://www.marrow.org/cgi-bin/NETWORK/map.pl?ctr_typ=DC

IMPORTANT: When you register, tell them you're Filipino and that you're friends for Christine Pechera! That is the only way the registration will be expedited and Christine will find a match in time.

If you run into any problems at the drive, call Susan Podolsky at the National Marrow Donor Program at 612-884-8567.

Please print this email and bring the number with you in case you run into any problems. This is the only way we can make sure Christine's doctors get the information in time.

THANK YOU for all the support!

To get updates on Christine and upcoming drives through myspace, check out here site here:

http://www.myspace.com/bonemarrowdonor

Or become part of her yahoo! group here:

www.christine.site.ph

If none of these links have answered your questions, and you'd really like to talk to someone close to Christine, email her friend Christine Beebe at beebe@laturistafilms.com She'd be glad to point you in the right direction of how you can help.

Dear God: Read above

Steve Anderson emailed me about a benefit screening that is happening tomorrow for his new film that will help Christine Pechera. Read below for more info. If are in the L.A. area, you should try to come! You'll get to see the new movie and help out Christine and other Filipinos possibly. Read on!

The following press release info does contain the dreaded F-word, so if you are sensitive, don't read further. (It is slightly censored because a filter will block the word if typed entirely.) In this case, it makes sense, I thought. Anyway, here is the release:



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SCREENING OF ThinkFILM'S F*CK DOCU TO BENEFIT CO-PRODUCER BATTLING AGGRESSIVE CANCER

Proceeds of May 23 Los Angeles screening go to help find a bone marrow donor for 34-year-old woman who beat cancer four years ago.

Director/producer Steve Anderson (THE BIG EMPTY) announced a special benefit screening of his new documentary F*CK at Los Angeles' Fine Arts Theater, with the proceeds to benefit F*CK co-producer Christine Pechera, who is dying from Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma and has only a few weeks to live if she cannot find a full-match bone marrow donor. The screening will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 23. Suggested donation is $20 per person (or more). A question and answer session will follow, and F*CK CANCER wristbands will also be sold to benefit The Christine Pechera Foundation.

F*CK (aka F*CK) (www.fourletterfilm.com), a thought-provoking examination of the implications of free speech and censorship documentary by director Steve Anderson (THE BIG EMPTY), contains interviews with over 30 media personalities including Hunter S. Thompson, Pat Boone, Alan Keyes, Sam Donaldson, David Milch, Morality In Media's Robert W. Peters, and Judith "Miss Manners" Martin. F*CK will be released theatrically by ThinkFilm in the fall.

The 34-year-old Pechera beat cancer four years ago when a rare, very aggressive form of Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma gave her a tumor the size of a pineapple in her chest. She survived a devastating and extremely risky stem cell transplant, which was successful—her cancer had gone into remission. It was then that the filmmaker who first paid her dues working for Roger Corman making "rubber monster space movies" became involved with F*CK.

And now the cancer is back. Initially two tumors were found, and Christine just underwent four days of intensive chemotherapy to fight off a new, third tumor.

"Christine was amazing on our film." said Steve Anderson, producer/director of the film. "Her work ethic and enthusiasm was contagious. We felt this screening, to show this film she worked so hard on, was the least we could do for a member of the family."

F*CK CANCER wristbands will be sold to raise money for The Christine Pechera Foundation. Of the wristbands Anderson said, "If there's a better use for the word `F*CK,' I can't think of it."

Thankfully, the National Marrow Donor Program has recently introduced buccal (mouth) swabs, so now getting tested is as simple as brushing a cotton swab inside your mouth for 40 seconds. Christine's best chance is to match a fellow Filipino—the odds are 1 in 20,000 for this, as opposed to 1 in 100,000 for a non-Filipino. Unfortunately, only 1% of the donors in the National Registry are Filipino, so Christine's friends (dubbed "Christine's Army") have been organizing donor drives to increase the number of Filipinos in the Registry.

Christine's website, www.SaveChristine.com, was set up to organize volunteer efforts to run bone marrow donor drives and help people register for self-test kits (mouth swabs). Government grants make self-tests are free for minorities. Donations can be made electronically or via mail through The Christine Pechera Foundation, which was set up to cover the expenses of testing Christine's relatives in the Phillipines (where testing is $285 per person) and defray Christine's costs.

The Fine Arts Theater is located at 8556 Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills, at the intersection of North Le Doux Road, one block west of La Cienega. Telephone is (310) 360-0455.

For more information, call (310) 739-5178, email Save.Christine.Publicity@gmail.com, or visit http://www.SaveChristine.com.

-TR

This message has been edited. Last edited by: TR,

I really hope things work out the best way possible.

And, TR, do you know if Christine has tried any other kind of (alternative) medicine? At least, to combine it and improve her life quality.

An Important Update!!!

On this somber anniversary that goes without saying, there are some good things to reflect on too. For one, this is also the birthday of this website. Secondly, I received some reassuring news about Christine from Steve Anderson today that I want to share with everyone!

Below is a copy of an email from Christine (from a couple of days ago) that she gave permission to post here. The news is good, but the fight isn't over yet. Read below for the update; I know many of you have been emailing me asking for an update to Christine's story. Thanks for the update, Steve.

Christine's E-mail:

This weekend all our thoughts are on the lives lost on September 11, 2001. And for the families who have kept the spirits of their loved ones alive each day since. As a native New Yorker, I hope we can all take a few moments of silence in remembrance and in honor.

Two nights ago, a tangerine moon rose over Los Angeles. I sat writing at the campus Bistro, as the last visitors silently filed out of the hospital. A patient waved from a window on the 5th floor, adjusting his mask before rolling out of sight, his I.V. poles in tow. Every night on campus, the air becomes thick with dreams, fear, faith, prayers, anxiety and existentialism. Sitting outside the hospital was like being next to a six-story sub-woofer, thundering the tearful, almost manic thoughts of all the souls inside fighting to stay alive. I wished I could have lit a beacon and shined it into every room, to burn away any troubling thoughts and bring peace into hearts, including my own. Suddenly I felt a comforting hand upon me. It was Uncertainty, and she graced me with a smile of assurance. 'What will be will be and know that only good can come of this. It is not the challenges that enter life that define us, but how we live through them. Be brave. No matter what trauma or challenge you face, don't let it break your spirit because it is the
only part of you that lives on.'

The next night, I sat between two great California pines overlooking the sculpture garden, thinking about my brother Francis Rex, who I like to think as watching from above. "Another New Day" by Stereolab from the album "In Between" randomly played next on the ipod. "How fitting", I thought. And how lucky am I, are we, to be alive and here at this moment. Our turn on the ride. Our chance to leave a mark, whether through sweeping worldwide changes or through loving one heart. How lucky are we to be given a chance to express whatever we want, in whatever form, and to share all of it with others. Our one chance to create light… or darkness. Our forefathers knew well that true happiness was not found in the goal, but in the pursuit.

We received news today, news so good that I am exhausted from the joy. Now that's a good place to be… Joy is good, but to be exhausted from joy is the ultimate of blessings. We got the results back from the latest `graft' test. As you all know, it was looking dicey there for a while because my marrow seemed to be fighting the donor's marrow. The transplant was chimeric, part-old marrow, part-donor marrow. Not good. It was creating all these troubling complications. But the test today read "100% donor marrow". It's official. The donor marrow has GRAFTED. This is a very good sign and a great sigh of relief. My doctor was jumping up and down and her assistant shouted "Woo-Hooooooo!!!" I felt like Miss America. I was one of the lucky few. Of course the rest of the day was spent calling immediate family, with lots of tears and "I love you" racing back and forth between wires and satellites.

I'm so thankful to be alive. Now our hopes and prayers focus on the donor's marrow happily and quickly setting up shop. It's all about reconstructing a brand new immune system and rebuilding the blood, from scratch. We've turned onto a promising road, but a long one. Well, I've always embraced adventure.

In the greater of things that illness can teach, is the lesson that what truly matters is not whether you live or die. Your body may survive but your soul may be broken. While we all want to live long and meaningful lives, the journey is more about keeping your soul intact and alive, not necessarily your body. Your spirit is what will be remembered and is the legacy that will be passed onto the future.

September 11 is Monday.

Much love,
Christine


Keep the good news coming, Christine! We're rooting for you!

-TR