Perhaps I should start by explaining why I have always considered myself lucky. When I was seven, my father left us. Luckily, my mother was very strong and persevering, raising me and my then ten-month-old sister by working three jobs at the same time. My mother emphasized the importance of education and always told us, "The most important thing in life is to learn how to stand on your own two feet." After that, I worked harder on my studies since I had not previously been a very good student. My mother is quite happy now because, after completing architecture studies in the United in the United States, my sister married a French architect and the two have their own small firm near Paris. They also have a daughter and a son.

As for myself, I landed my first job when I was seventeen. I was the evening telephone operator for Air Asia. After one year, I saved up enough money to buy a one-way ticket to the United States to study. Again, I was fortunate and Wellesley College offered me a full tuition, room and board scholarship. During the four years at Wellesley, I learned that women should have confidence in themselves and adopt an optimistic and active approach towards life.

After graduation from Wellesley, I received a full scholarship from Harvard Law School and obtained a JD degree three years later.

After graduation from Harvard, I became an associate at a prominent Boston law firm, Ropes & Gray, and worked there for two years. Among the hundred-some lawyers in the firm, there were only two Asians. I was one of them. After comprehensive and intensive legal training at the firm, I returned to Taipei and joined the Taipei office of Baker & McKenzie, the world's largest law firm, in 1982.

Four years later, at thirty-one years of age, I was honored by Baker & McKenzie in being elected by its partners worldwide to be a member of the firm. At that time I was the only female Chinese member and also one of the youngest. Since I am not admitted to practice in Taiwan, my position in the Taipei office remains that of a consultant. My work is focused on cross-border commercial transactions: I draft contracts and assist my clients in negotiations. Through my work, I have become acquainted with many of Taiwan's corporate leaders and government officials and have also become friends with many of the island's so-called "superwomen."

In 1988, my life as a carefree single ended when I married a banker. In 1990, I was very happy to give birth to my daughter, since I had experienced two miscarriages and, during my pregnancy, was bedridden for four months. Two years later I became pregnant again. The first part of the pregnancy was smooth but the last stretch was difficult. Apart from work, I had been busy with about thirty professional women and housewives in a campaign to legalize foreign maids so that women who used foreign maids need not worry about being branded as criminals. I even participated in a protest in front of the Legislative Yuan when I was eight months pregnant. Although foreign maids were later legalized, I contracted a disease commonly known as "shingles" which some say is caused by stress. In seeking appropriate treatment for the disease, I met Dr. Heung-Tat Ng of the Veterans General Hospital(whose lawyer wife Kwok-Choo Chen is a good friend of mine.) A month later my son was born. Luckily, he was perfectly healthy and was not affected at all by the shingles, which is a nervous system disease.

At the beginning of October this year, I started to feel dizzy and short of breath, but I had a tremendous amount of work and had to travel abroad twice. In addition, our firm was moving and we had a reception on November 17. On the day of the reception, we planned to publish a book, "Practical Guide to Investment in China." Thus, work occupied practically all of my time during the one and a half month period from early October to November 17. I had to work at least twelve to fifteen hours every day in order to complete each day's tasks. On the evening of November 18, I finally had a chance to go to the hospital to seek treatment for a cold and a slight case of anemia.

To my surprise, after a blood test, the doctor told me, "You should feel blessed that you are still here because you should have gone into shock, and could even have died any time in the past two weeks because of your extremely low red blood cell count." During the first few days in the hospital, my sister-in-law and several colleagues donated blood to me. I was pleased because the anemia seemed to be better. However, after a bone marrow aspiration on November 24, my doctor informed me, "You have leukemia. You must immediately transfer to a hospital which can treat this type of illness."

Through Dr. Ng, who had already befriended me once before, I was transferred to the Veterans General Hospital overnight and placed in the care of a good friend of Dr. Hg, Dr. Po-Min Chen, chief of the medical oncology section. On the third day after the transfer, he started the chemotherapy treatment. Chemotherapy is a very strenuous treatment which requires a lot of physical and mental strength to face. Four weeks later, Dr. Chen advised me that I had achieved complete remission. This was the first step in the battle against leukemia.

Perhaps most persons who contract leukemia would not feel lucky, but I believe I am fortunate, because:

-- Leukemia is not a fatal disease today, with recent developments in treatment. In seventy to eighty percent of the cases, people who have leukemia can remain in remission for one to two years.

-- For leukemia patients under the age of 45 (I am 38), they can receive allogeneic bone marrow transplants. Under 60 they can receive autologous bone marrow transplants. In fifty to seventy percent of the cases, patients can successfully extend their lives through such transplants and the success rate is even higher for patients in good physical condition.

-- Only after getting leukemia did I discover that I had so many friends who supported me. My husband, family and colleagues all supported and looked after me in their own way.

-- During the long period of chemotherapy treatments, my Philippine nanny took very good care of my one and a half and three year old children, giving them love and laughter, relieving one of my great concerns.

When I told my family and friends about the leukemia, many cried and questioned why I had contracted such a disease. My three-year-old daughter often could not come see me in the hospital because she had a cold. She would also ask, "Mommy, why do you have to stay in the hospital? Why do you have to be sick?" This was a difficult question. Why me?

Of course, I have asked myself, "Did I do something wrong to deserve this illness?" Looking back into my past, I found some clues, but those answers were not productive.

On the first Sunday of my hospitalization, Dr. Chen came to visit me. He was on his way to an educational campaign sponsored by the Tzu Chi Foundation, which was to organize the Tzu Chi Bone Marrow Donor Registry. On the next Sunday he told me about the same campaign again. At that moment I suddenly realized that there was a positive reason for me to have leukemia at this particular point in time. Among the people I have become acquainted with during the past 11 years in Taiwan, many are able to help Tzu Chi with such a campaign. This campaign needs contributions of love, money and people. Thus, I am telling this story to respond to those friends who have asked me, "What can I do for you?" The answer is that you can help me by supporting the Tzu Chi bone Marrow Donor Registry. Business owners or top management and government officials can become donors and act as role models, so that others will follow by first donating blood to the Registry. Corporate leaders can also have their corporations donate money to pay for the testing required to establish bone marrow compatibility. At the very least, they can disseminate information to their employees so that the latter can understand the importance of establishing such a donor registry in Taiwan and hopefully volunteer to become donors.

At thirty-eight, having looked death in the face, I recognize with startling clarity the preciousness of life, sunshine and children. I hope my experience will bring hope and life to those who require bone marrow transplants now or in the future. I have been lucky enough: I have had a wonderful life and am blessed with many good friends and people who care about me. I have accomplished what I wanted to do. I even have two children. I only hope for the opportunity to watch them grow.

After the long treatment process, I will return to my beloved Baker & McKenzie and continue in my chosen profession. As before, I will live each day with the same love of work and love of life. The only difference is that this experience has led me to re-evaluate the meaning of life. In the future, part of my time will be given to others who are suffering, but whom I may not know, by contributing my time and energy to supporting the Tzu Chi Marrow Donor Registry. You can do the same. Perhaps we can save one life together!

Dolly Tai-lan Lo
February 1994

A Letter to Dolly

By May E. Ho Gu

Dear Dolly:

It is hard to believe that you've left us four months already. Today, I made a presentation on the Tzu Chi bone marrow campaign for the Foreign Language Team retreat in the reception hall of the Abode of Still Thoughts. Just about two years ago, I accompanied you to the same place to meet with Master Cheng Yen for the very first time. At that time, you had just found out about a possible unrelated bone marrow match for you, the 18th match. It was three months after you found out you had leukemia and after my dear father passed away.

I could not cry during the mourning period for my father. However, I was so touched by Master Cheng Yen's tender mercy. She was so compassionate and full of wisdom, yet as dear as our own mother. Suddenly, the tears of three months poured forth so naturally on my face. Yet they were tears of love and understanding rather than sadness. It confirmed my vow to help you in the promotion of the bone marrow campaign.

Later, we joined the Yi-Te Mothers' gathering to listen to the Master's teaching and share each other's experiences. I wanted to thank Tzu Chi for finding the bone marrow match for you, so I volunteered to speak on your behalf. Master Cheng Yen encouraged me to introduce myself as well. So, I briefly talked about myself and my father, and then I was in tears again. You did not wish to speak in public at first. However, after my talk, you decided to elaborate more on who my father was and his contribution to the country, so you walked to the front and spoke for me. Whenever I play back the tape of that day, I can still vividly recall the peaceful, warm, touching atmosphere around the Abode and I am in tears again.

That was my first time as your "spokesperson" for the bone marrow campaign. Prior to that, I was always reluctant to make public speeches and I often tried to avoid speeches in my professional field. I decided to become your "spokesperson" when I visited you at your sickbed and saw the draft of the bone marrow brochure you designed and your cover letter including your own story. I could not believe you could say you were lucky after you found out you had leukemia.

Just two weeks after you knew about your disease, you made a vow to join the Tzu Chi Bone Marrow Campaign. You wrote several hundred letters and printed 800,000 brochures to urge all your friends and associates to support the campaign. You told me, "If I only have one year, and if I cannot save myself, I hope I can save a few other lives." As your friend of 17 years, I believed your sincerity in making the vow and I did admire your courage. How hard it was to be so brave and grateful when facing life or death at this young age! You were only 38 years old at that time. You had a great career as a prominent lawyer and partner at Baker & McKenzie. You had a happy marriage with two lovely children. How could you face this fatal challenge with a peaceful mind willing to persevere and a joyful heart ready to fight?

You brought me to the Tzu Chi world of love and beauty. In the past two years, I have opened my eyes to a new dimension of my life and I officially became a Tzu Chi commissioner this year. I am so much happier, even though I am busier than ever. I have learned so much from the Master's boundless wisdom and compassion. How I wish you were able to recover and join me on the Path of the Bodhisattvas. Because of your age, you were afraid of the risk in unrelated bone marrow transplant and decided to do an autologous transplant in the US. Just before you left, we had made arrangements to visit Hualien to see the Master. Unfortunately, a sudden typhoon stopped our plan. You could not reschedule the trip because you had already booked your airline ticket. How sad that two years later, we were only able to receive your ashes and you never had a chance to meet Master Cheng Yen again!

Nonetheless, you never forgot the Master and Tzu Chi. When I visited you in the US last October, you told me you regretted that the Buddhist beads the Master gave you had been lost in the hospital. I took off my beads and gave them to you. You thanked me and put them on with delight. In your will, you indicated your wish to donate all the money received for your funeral to Tzu Chi. By means of that, we were able to add your name to Tzu Chi's Honorable Board Members list. We knew you never wanted fame, but we wanted to memorialize you in the Still Thoughts Hall. We hope more people can learn from your optimistic, generous, courageous, grateful spirit.

If not for you, we would never have had the Jackie Chen film for the bone marrow campaign. You used your precious life to demonstrate to us how valuable yet impermanent life can be! If we don't cherish our lives and spend them wisely, we should be so ashamed of ourselves!

Dolly, you fought a beautiful battle in the past two years. You should rest in peace now. I hope you will come back soon and be able to participate in more Tzu Chi activities in person. I firmly believe you will have more wisdom and love in your next life! We will meet again and be able to carry out Tzu Chi's missions together in our next lives!

My very best wishes!
April 6, 1996

In Rememberance of Dolly Lo
"The Miracle of an Orchid"

By E.E. Ho & William Rathje

She has that special quality.
Innate brilliance and delicate beauty,
A compassionate heart,
Fragrant with vibrant energy.

A sudden end.
A shooting star leaves pained hearts,
Souls in shock,
Spirits awakened.

The hand of fate, beyond human understanding,
Moves the flower suddenly
Into bleakest winter.
Under the pall of merciless illness
Those who love the orchid stand helplessly by,
Watching the brave flower calmly welcome her struggle
With the storm of life.

Sunrise, sunset.
The flower's face slowly deteriorates.
The flower's heart, however, becomes increasingly fragrant,
Her neck, more dignified and upright.
Day by day, she maintains her graceful poise.
There can be no more moving testimony than this
To how precious life is.

Despite the prayers and the blessings
Flowing from multiple tongues and religions,
The desired miracle does not occur.
The orchid quietly falls from the branch.

All those who bore witness
Said they saw peace
In the falling flower's face.