This page is dedicated to Hiroko-Veronica Matsui of Osaka, Japan, and also to Sarah McLachlan and Nettwerk Records for supporting the Cooley's Anemia Foundation with their donations.

My dear friend, Lisa, suffers from Cooley's Anemia (also known as Thalassemia). She has suffered from this inherited blood disorder since she was born. She is 31 now. She has had to receive blood transfusions every month of her life since she was born just to stay alive. Most of the children and young adults that suffer from Cooley's Anemia live to be only in their 20's and 30's, and some die as children never to reach adulthood. Lisa's father died of Cooley's Anemia complications in 1993. He was one of the longest living patients, passing away at the age of 44. There is no cure for Thalassemia, but with funding for research, we hope to find a cure.

I am always looking for different ways to raise money for Cooley's Anemia so that a cure is discovered, and someday I hope to be able to make enough money so that I don't have to rely only on asking others to donate. But for now, this is the only way, and I am grateful to all that give even a penny.

After contacting Jennifer at Nettwerk Records about Cooley's Anemia in April of 2001, they decided to donate a signed Sarah McLachlan print of Sarah's painting, "The Pregnant Goddess," shown above.

I began the auction at the end of June, and it sold for an astonishing $1,025.00 to Hiroko-Veronika Matsui of Osaka, Japan. I had no idea that it would sell for so much. I nearly fainted when I visited Ebay that Saturday morning and witnessed the ending price.

But the astonishment didn't end there. Soon after the auction, the winner, Veronica, contacted me and expressed that she would like to give more for the print since the money was going to the Cooley's Anemia Foundation. She raised her donation amount from $1,025.00 to $1,280.00.

I am convinced that Veronica is an angel. She is a genuine person that I will forever be grateful for. In addition to her kind generosity, she has also been keeping in touch on a more personal level, and I can already foresee a long-lasting friendship between Veronica and I. Thanks Veronica! You are the best! :o)

And last but not least, this all wouldn't have happened without the donation from Sarah McLachlan and Nettwerk Records, so I would also like to thank Sarah McLachlan, and Jennifer and Janet at Nettwerk Records for making this happen.

Thanks everyone!

Sincerely,
Angela Rohner
Sarahfan.com Webmaster