Life: the greatest gift you can give.

This newsletter often focuses on the side of the health continuum that looks at prevention or optimization of our wellbeing. I always thought that without a clinical background, I should stay in my lane and leave healthcare innovation up to the medical professionals.

That said, I believe the systems around healthcare, the clinical experience, and general provision are very much in need of disruption. Like so many complex systems in need of innovation, often times we just need to get more organized and solve issues with distribution or access. 

As we shift out of the holiday stretch (from Christmas to Lunar New Year), I want to bring attention to the greatest kind of gift one can still give: saving a life. Specifically through stem cell and bone marrow donation to cure certain cancers when there are no other options. And the reminder that we can give this gift any time.

Take a 5 Minute Break…

INSIGHT ^{_{(what we need)}}

We have the people and technology to match for life-saving cures – we’re just disorganized.

Most of us know someone, or are someone, who has suffered from cancer. Incidences have been rising globally over the past decade, with significant increases observed in the past five years. According to the American Cancer Society, there were approximately 20 million new cancer cases worldwide in 2022, with projections indicating a rise to 35 million by 2050, based solely on population growth. This extrapolation does not even take into account an increase in causal lifestyle factors.

Thankfully, treatments are getting more targeted and advanced. The medical establishment is becoming more receptive to complementary therapies as being part of the program. Most health insurers are getting on board with full coverage. And the “care” aspect around the treatment experience and support awareness has dramatically improved. However, where it gets clunky is when treatment programs are not enough. When it’s time to find a donor and you need to look outside of your family for blood, stem cells or bone marrow for live-saving transplants.

Finding a match is currently a daunting challenge, especially for people of color and those of mixed ethnicity. The success of a match depends on genetic markers in the Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) system, which are inherited. Because HLA markers are more likely to align within populations of similar ethnic backgrounds, individuals from underrepresented groups face significantly fewer donor options.

For example, here are statistics from donor databased in the United States (which has wider ethnic representation than other countries). While white patients of European decent have a 79% chance of finding an unrelated donor, black patients of African decent have only a 29% chance, south asians only 3%, and those of mixed race from uncommon ethnic minority groups have anywhere from 2-4% chance of getting matched. This disparity underscores the critical need for more diverse donors in global registries as these numbers are not a product of population but representation.

INSPIRATION ^{_{(what i want)}}

NMDP (formerly “Be the Match”): a global nonprofit leader in cell therapy, donor registry, funding and awareness to find cures and save lives for patients with blood cancers and disorders.

NMDP is the leading organization in stem cell and bone marrow transplants has been at the forefront of addressing this issue. They actively work to recruit diverse donors and raise awareness about the need for representation in registries.

Their community-focused campaigns have targeted populations with historically low representation, such as African Americans, Asian Americans, and individuals of mixed race. Through culturally relevant outreach and partnerships with community leaders, NMDP has expanded the donor pool and saved countless lives.

If you are or know someone of 18-35 years of age (and especially in a group of low representation), get swabbed to give the greatest gift there is 🎁

INNOVATION ^{_{(what i wish for)}}

Small World: an encrypted blockchain API that flags HLA marker profiles anonymously.

As we get more and more ethnically mixed, HLA profiles are getting more and more complex — and harder to match. Especially among mixed ethnicity patients who are under represented in centralized donor registries. Small world integrates groundbreaking technology to increase representation and leveling the playing field, offering hope to those who have historically been left behind. Let’s create a future where everyone has an equal chance at life-saving treatments.

• Easy to integrate blockchain API for all health and wellness at-home swab kits. 

• Every swab also collects HLA marker data that goes into an anonymous worldwide registry. 

• Decentralized secure registry also cross-references all donor databases, making it easier to collect donors globally and organize data. 

• Future integration with existing databases also enables secure data sharing among healthcare institutions, allowing rapid verification of data ownership and unified authentication.

• Ai and machine learning optimize HLA matching by predicting compatibility with greater precision, potentially identifying matches beyond traditional parameters.

• Anonymity gives power to the individual to accept any matches if flagged. 

• This innovative approach optimizes user experience, maintains data integrity, and ensures privacy.

• Future innovations in CRISPR technology will also have access to the database in order to fill in missing markers for donor cells that are not a perfect match, increasing life-saving options even more. 

Dedicated to my sister-in-law, Gloria Chang August Lee. We miss you. 🙏🕯🤍