After exhibiting various symptoms during her sophomore year of high school and visiting several doctors, San Tan Valley resident Mesa Orth, now 20, received the unfortunate news that she was battling acute myeloid leukemia (AML).
Following an unsuccessful round of chemotherapy treatment, Orth and her family were informed that her only chance of survival was a blood stem cell transplant. In the hopes of finding her perfect match, Orth and her family partnered with DKMS, the world’s largest blood stem cell donor center.
According to DKMS, 70% of people suffering from leukemia, lymphoma and other blood cancers must rely on donors outside their families. As an adopted child of Chinese descent, the odds of identifying Orth’s match were even smaller (minorities are severely underrepresented in the donor registry, with Asians making up only 7% of the donor pool). Diversity matters for those battling blood cancer because individuals are more likely to match with donors of the same background.
This is where social media influencer and photographer Benjamin Qiu, who is of Asian descent, came in. Across the country in New York City, Qiu was informed that he was a match for a teenage girl battling AML here in San Tan Valley. Reflecting upon when he first learned about the urgent need for donors and signed up during a DKMS drive on his college campus five years prior, Qiu was happy to move forward and donated his stem cells to Orth, ultimately saving her life.
On Oct. 21, Orth and Qiu met for the first time at her grandfather’s house in Mesa, where she was able to thank him for saving her life.
