Help Save Natalie and Others - Pleasant Hill, CA

An eight-year-old little girl who was diagnosed with AML (Acute Myeloid Leukemia) in the fall of 2008 and spent this Valentine's Day in the hospital will have a fundraiser in her honor this weekend.

"There are so many wonderful things to say about Natalie," say her parents Grant and Tammy Nakatani in an announcement.

Natalie's Bone Marrow Drive will take place Feb. 20, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Gregory Gardens Elementary School, 1 Corritone Court, Pleasant Hill, CA. Participants will be tested for a bone marrow match at the drive, which is the child's best chance for a cure, according to research.

For more information, email kelly@dkmsamericas.org.

On the same day from 10-3, an AADP-minority focused drive for the girl will be presented at Grand Century Mall located at 1001 Story Road, San Jose.

The next day an additional drive will start at 8 a.m. and go to 12:30 at Mount Olive Lutheran Church at its 1989 E. Calaveras Boulevard location in Milpitas.

Another drive for Natalie, the UC Berkeley/Cal Drive will be held Feb. 22 from noon to 6 p.m. at Pauley East, MLK Student Union on Cal Campus (Telegraph & Bancroft, Berkeley).

You can also set up a drive in Natalie's honor at your office, church, or school by contacting a rep at DKMS Americas at info@dkmsamericas.org or by calling 1-866-340-3567. Then update any drives held in her honor at http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=288978892555&comments&ref=mf so it can be updated on HopeForNatalie.com.

Several drives have been going on all month for the sick little girl in California and Hawaii, including Valentine's Day when Natalie saw her little brother with festive balloons outside her hospital window.

After five hard months last year Natalie's leukemia was in remission but now it's back, states one web site.

In unrelated cancer news, 38 people raised at least $150 online between Jan. 21 and Feb. 14 in the Susan G. Komen for the Cure® fundraising contest of komentarrant.org.

The organization is having a Breast Cancer Writing Contest where you can share your "Helping Hands" story of real life experiences when friends, family, or medical professionals that helped you cope with the disease. Winners receive $50 restaurant gift certificates plus possible publication in "Inspirational Stories" Book for Cancer Patients. (Source: Gynna Harlin).

Contest rules can be found at http://www.komentarrant.org/komen-race-for-the-cure/race-information/ccbd-contest-2010.html online.

To enter the competition, look up http://www.thecentertx.com/gallery.html# then click on the "Enter the Helping Hands Writing Contest" pink icon.