Cerritos Councilwomen Laura Lee Honored At Charity Concert

By Larry Caballero

Cerritos City Councilmember and former mayor Laura Lee was honored with the A3M Human Spirit Award Oct. 18 at the 12th Annual Charity Concert and Dinner benefiting A3M, Asians for Miracle Marrow Matches, at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts.
A3M’s goal, in addition to raising funds for their programs, is to raise awareness and add new registrants to the national Be The Marrow Registry. “It is my hope that, together with all of you, we will be able to help all patients who are looking for their matching donor who can help them live out their dreams,” said A3M Assistant Director Shin Ito.
Inscribed on Lee’s award were the words, “For making a difference in the lives of patients and giving hope to families around the world.” Lee said that it was “a great honor to receive this award, and I consider all of the many volunteers and donors as the true heroes in the fight against leukemia and other deadly diseases who have hosted more than 700 donor drives during the past year.”
Lee first learned of the organization through a Cerritos resident whose husband was suffering from leukemia. The resident asked Lee to assist a family living in Arizona who had adopted a six-year-old Chinese orphan girl who was recently diagnosed with the disease. Data has proven that there can be up to an 85% bone marrow match if the patient and donor are of the same ethnic background. Since Cerritos has a huge Asian population, it made sense to ask Councilmember Lee to assist in finding a donor.
“I was glad to help. I find moments like those to be the best part of being on council. It gives me an opportunity to give support in so many ways.” Lee, a registered marrow donor, has participated in numerous press conferences to draw attention to the urgent needs of patients in their searches for a chance to live. Whenever possible, she has also involved local politicians by conveying the importance of A3M’s work in the community and the potential the city of Cerritos holds in assisting to increase the diverse data base of donors in the national registry.
“Everyone should consider becoming a registered bone marrow donor. Who knows, you may be saving the life of a loved one. All life is precious,” said Lee.