Laughter is the Best Medicine

Today I want to share a charity event that I have enjoyed with many of my friends. The event brings new meaning to the phrase “laughter is the best medicine.” (I laughed so hard that my cheeks started to hurt and my sides started to split.)

Laugh for Lives is a comedy benefit that helps patients with leukemia, lymphoma and other blood related diseases. Laugh for Lives is sponsored by AADP (Asian American Donor Program) and helps to raise awareness about the need for donors from multi-ethnic and multi-racial backgrounds. An individual's background is a huge factor in finding a matching donor.

First some background on bone marrow donation. Bone marrow and other transplant matches are determined by HLA markers (Human Leukocyte Antigen), which are proteins found on various cells in your body. HLA proteins (a.k.a. Major Histocompatibility Complex) play an important role in the activation of your immune system. If a donor's HLA proteins do not match the recipient, the recipient's immune cells (b-cells) will produce antibodies to target and will activate killing cells (t-cells) to attack the donor tissue. The body sees the donor cells as “not me, not me, not me” and initiates attacks. In an organ transplant, this would mean a rejection of the organ. In bone marrow transplant, this means a rejection of the cells that are transplanted. Before I get into too much technical jargon, I'll stop here.

I have been to the Laugh for Lives comedy show for the past two years. The first time I went because I was invited by some old friends. The second time I was the one to invite a group of friends to attend. The third time, which will be March 15, 2013, is still up in the air. I may invite a different group of friends this year. The greater the awareness, the better. So far, I loved the show on both occasions. Being sponsored by AADP, there are a lot of Asian inspired jokes. Thus, instead of the usual jokes about sex or flatulence, there are tons of jokes about Asian stereotypes. This included, how asians are good at math, how asians love karaoke, and how asians all know martial arts. This year Laugh for Lives has also invited Maze Magic. I am a little hesitant about this part of the show (I am very squeamish and don't have a high tolerance for the “ewww” factor), but it's for a good cause.

On an end note, the scarf was a gift that I wore the second time I went to the show. It is a beautifully woven white scarf with cute tiny pom-poms at the ends. White is a very simple and traditional color that is easy to pair with. This scarf fluttered in the breeze in front of one of San Francisco's most iconic venues, The Palace of Fine Arts. The venue of choice for Laugh for Lives this year is once again at The Palace of Fine Arts. It is a beautiful little spot in San Francisco that plays host to wedding photos, picnics, and exploration (Once Home of the Exploratorium).

Note:  A set of HLA proteins is inherited from each of your parents. This is why siblings can often be donors. The probability that you have the same set of HLA proteins is much higher than with a random stranger. The exact probability is a 1 in 4 chance of having identical sets of HLA proteins with a sibling.

2013 Laugh for Lives