Media Advisory from The Elizabeth Lue Bone Marrow Foundation and Canadian Ethnic Media Association: Little Elizabeth Lue left a legacy that has helped save lives

TORONTO, Sept. 10, 2025 /CNW/ - The Star carried its first story March 16, 1990, with the headline "Right donor could save life of 6-year-old with anemia." 

"Time ran out . . . it's a numbers game. That's just the way it is," says Phillipa Lue, the mother of Elizabeth Lue. She is encouraging diverse communities to sign up as potential donors, to boost survival odds for people who need bone marrow and stem cell transplants.

Six-year-old Elizabeth Lue died from a rare disorder in 1990. But her death led to an increase in the number of people listed on a bone marrow donor registry in Canada.

In memory of her daughter, Phillipa Lue is encouraging more visible minorities to sign up as potential donors, to improve the chances of survival for people from diverse communities who need bone marrow and stem cell transplants. Lives have been saved."

As reported by Donovan Vincent of the Toronto Star on November 2, 2017

On August 31 this year, it was the 35th year of Elizabeth's passing. For Elizabeth's mother Phillipa, it is a painful reminder of how her little girl suffered through the ordeal. In particular, she is cognizant of the fact that there are patients waiting for the generosity of potential donors to come forward: how a small act of kindness can potentially save lives.

The best chance of finding a match is from within one's ethnic community. There is still a need for stem cell donors particularly from racial minority and mixed racial populations. On the Stem Cell Registry, only 35% of donors are non-Caucasian. About one thousand patients in Canada, with leukemia; lymphoma; sickle cell disease; aplastic anemia and other diseases need stem cells from a matching donor to save their lives. 

Now there are two ways to register to donate stem cells – join the Canadian Blood Services' Stem Cell Registry or the Cord Blood Bank. 

Requirement for donation to the Stem Cell Registry: 17-35 years of age, and in good health and it starts with a simple cheek swab. The donation of stem cells is most commonly like a blood donation and stem cells will be replaced by our body. And there is no cost to donate stem cells. For more information, go to the section on "Stem Cells" www.blood.ca/en/stemcells on the Canadian Blood Services' website.

Another way to help is to join the Cord Blood Bank. As for the requirement for umbilical Cord Blood donation from parents giving birth, go to the section on "Stem Cells" www.blood.ca/en/stemcells on the Canadian Blood Services website for more information.

SOURCE Canadian Ethnic Media Association

For further inquiries, please contact Phillipa Lue at [phone] and Dr. Joseph Wong at [phone].