AADP.org Volunteer Appreciation Day

So last weekend the Asian American Donor Program.org held a volunteer appreciation day at the 300 San Jose Bowling Alley.

Due to my ankle injury earlier this year that lasted for about 4 months I didn't risk bowling and twisting it again.

As I walked in past the public alley I headed towards the "Back 9" private alleys.

Did you know bowling alley's had private sections for parties? I had no idea.

Almost everyone from the AADP was there including their Executive Director, Carol Gillespie, on the far left and their founder, Johnathan Leong, on the far right.

The girl in the stripes? That's Donna with her family. It was such a pleasure to meet them. Donna who is now 29 years old received a bone marrow transplant when she was 9. That's 20 years cancer free!

Her mom told me that at one point her doctors sent her home to die but her mother refused to give up hope. She tended to Donna and slowly she got better. It gives me so much hope to meet and hear about other patients who survived diseases like Leukemia.

One thing I find shocking and I hope you do too is that even now many doctors will tell their newly diagnosed patients that there is no hope they will find a marrow or stem cell match and send them home to die. If you ever hear of anyone who is told they have no chance of finding a match please tell them not to accept that answer. Earlier this year Nick Glasgow was told he had zero percent chance of finding a match and just two months later not one but two 10/10 matches were located for him. He received his transplant a month after Tami and is now in the same, long, recuperative process Tami is in.

The Back 9 lanes were really cute. Each lane is numbered by light on the floor. On the wall over the lanes were two large video screens that played music videos and two that featured special messages about the AADP volunteers.

Lots of people were bowling.

And there was even a private bar in the Back 9. Food was also provided with Burgers, chicken sandwiches and salads set up as a buffet.

If your group is looking for a unique place to have a party consider bowling! I think everyone had a great time that day.