They don’t give up and they keep believing.
Clearly, Gebbie Hou’s courage and determination continues to be a source of inspiration for her friends and colleagues.
Hou, 46, is battling cancer for the second time in four years, having previously fought and beat the killer disease in the shape of stage 4 lymphoma in 2013.
The Hong Kong-born flight attendant — who moved to Canada when she was 12 and has called Richmond home for more than 20 years — is now three months into another fight for her life, this time taking chronic lymphocytic leukemia head on, via chemotherapy.
Four swabbing drives later, a potentially life-saving stem cell match has yet to be found for Hou, who lives on Granville Avenue.
The clock is ticking on Hou’s chances of survival, but that’s not deterring the circle of love that envelopes her, including her close friend and colleague, Rupert Ngan, who is busy promoting more stem cell drives.
“Donators don’t have to be Asian, but it does increase the chances of a match,” said Ngan, adding that the drives are not just in aid of Hou, but could potentially save someone else’s life.
“The chances of getting a match increase with people from an Asian ethnicity; but not a lot of Asians are willing to donate; they’re not usually open to donations, especially when it comes to things such as this.
“We really want to get as many registrants as we can, because the odds for finding a match that is not a family member are 1:750,000.” The first drive was in January and then there were two in Richmond, which were very well attended, despite the snowfall.
Ngan said Hou is “doing well, considering it’s the second time around for her.”
“She’s a bit weak because of all the drugs, but she’s keeping her spirits up.”
If you are in relatively good health and aged between 17 and 35, consider helping Huo and others at two upcoming swabbing drives:
*Monday March 6, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at BCIT’s Burnaby campus, 3700 Willingdon Avenue;
*Thursday, March 9, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at UBC’s Earth and Ocean Sciences building, 2329 West Mall, Vancouver. More drives in Richmond are in the works.
For more information, go to Facebook.com/SaveGebbie.
