Kirin Tuei

I received another call for potential match in 1998, and when through testing, and found I was a perfect match. At the time, I wasn’t thinking too much of it, I thought since I signed up, I had a chance to save a life, why not go for it?

Kirin Tuei is based in Belmont, CA and is part of a start-up dermatology company in Sunnyvale. He keeps busy in the field of sales/business development and also has a wine company, exporting California wine to China. Although busy, he also finds time to be involved with Oriented, the Asian American professional network, Tzu Chi buddhist relief group and Monte Jade Asian Association.

Kirin registered at a drive on his college campus – UC Davis. In 1997, Kirin got a call letting him know that he was a potential match. At the time, he was not a good enough match for that patient, so he was put back on the registry.

A year later, he received another call: I received another call for potential match in 1998, and went through testing, and found I was a perfect match. At the time, I wasn’t thinking too much of it, I thought since I signed up, I had a chance to save a life, why not go for it?

When asked about having any fear or doubts, Kirin responds, It was a bit scary since I had to be on general anesthesia. But the medical staff at Sutter General in Sacramento was very encouraging and assured me there will be very minimal to no complications going into the (minor) surgery to extract marrow above my pelvic bone.

(After the surgery,) I was in the hospital until the afternoon and was discharged by evening. My body felt sore after surgery. But the soreness was gone the next day.

One year after donating, Kirin heard back from his donor center that his recipient was alive and doing well.

Asian Americans are among the lowest turn out for bone marrow donation in the US. To be honest, many Asian Americans always think about themselves instead of community. And they tend to think what is there for me to gain? But they never want to offer anything that contributes to the society. I think it’s important to let people know that we have the responsibility to contribute in this country, and better yet, this world. The current advances in medical technology makes marrow donation much easier compared to 10 years ago. It’s literally like donating blood. It’s safe. I think we are obligated to give something back.