I suppose you are reading this to get a better idea of who Janet is. So, what can I tell you about her that her family and other friends haven’t covered? All I have are stories. So here we go…

Once upon a time, there lived the prettiest, nicest girl in the whole entire world. I first met her in the 6th grade in the strange rabbit-hole called middle school. She had recently moved from Hawaii and was anxious about making new friends. I was trying to eat my sandwich. We had a few classes in common but we’d never talked. “Do you eat that every day?” she asked, pointing to the type of sandwich that I, in fact, did eat every day. “Yeah” I answered, “why do you eat that every day?” In response, she shrugged, “I like it”. It was so simple but something clicked into place with those words. I didn’t know it at the time, but I had just met the girl who would become my best friend. In fact, it took me a long time to realize the place she holds in my life. Over the years, she’s had an undeniable impact on my life. To comprehend her influence in my life, I would have to pull apart the very threads of my personality.

Did you know that I can’t listen to a Mariah Carey song without thinking of Janet? I remember the first time she sang in front of me. We were in PE class, not exercising as usual. We stood under a tree probably talking about boys. All of a sudden, Janet paused and said “Don’t laugh at me, but tell me what you think of my voice.” She started with the opening chords of Mariah’s “Hero”. I had never heard the original song but I was sure that whatever kind of voice Mariah Carey has, it can’t be better than this. I was right. Janet’s voice was clear, strong with a passion that I had never seen her express anywhere else. She later sang the song at our school’s Talent Show and completely won everyone over with her rendition. Where Mariah was whiny, Janet was real. Where Mariah overdid notes, Janet was spot-on. If you ever meet Janet, ask her to sing “Reflection” from Mulan for you. No one sings that song like Janet.

I have watched her grow up with music. I have watched her voice develop from beautiful to brilliant. She called me one day and told me she was done with music. She wanted to do something more significant with her life. I was happy for her but part of me wanted to tape her voice and send it secretly to a record company. I haven’t completely shelved that idea.

For our 8th grade English class (Mrs. May!!), we were partners in a book project. True to ourselves, we chose “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” by Maya Angelou. I read the book all the way through. The day before our presentation, Janet confessed that she didn’t finish the book. Knowing our shared borderline-obsession with good literature, I was shocked. She admitted that she couldn’t read the rape chapter. She tried but it was too difficult. But I had read it. It was difficult and emotional, but I read it. Why? And that’s something you realize after being around Janet. She has an uncanny ability to make you think critically about yourself. You ask yourself, why am I how I am? Never in a negative way, but self-reflection nonetheless.

It’s this aspect of my friendship with Janet that has defined me. We’ve spent so many hours on the phone asking ourselves this same question. Why do I feel like crying because that beautiful boy ignored me? Why am I so cynical? Why do we love chocolate so much? Why do we drink coffee all the time? Perhaps we think too much for our own good. But I’d like to think that it’s made us better people. I’d like to think that she’s made me a better person. Once you’ve been called a “balanced tree” and “the wisest soul”, you never go back. You turn to the future and keep walking because someone believes in you. Someone that you respect very much. Someone like Janet.

And it is Janet’s rare ability to understand people, to find their weaknesses and then support them whole-heartedly…it’s this ability which makes her irreplaceable. And she does all of this a heart that is way too big for one person to possess. When Janet says she is happy for you, she is one of the few people I have met in my life who is truly, completely, unconditionally happy for you.

She was my first friend in college. We met during freshman orientation and she became one of my closest friends. We lived in the same dorm building and had weekly dinners in our freshman and sophmore years, where we fantasized about our majors and our futures. We ended up changing our minds about our majors every week! We shared an apartment our junior and senior years. These past two years really showed me the endless depths of Janet's pure-hearted and caring nature. Whether it was working until 3 am on Friday nights to finalize English literacy lesson plans just to wake up at 7 am on Saturdays to volunteer at a public school across Los Angeles, organizing quarterly book drives at UCLA to raise money and send textbooks to schools in Africa, or being upset for days if something is troubling one her friends, Janet has an incredible ability to empathize with others and find ways to remedy others' pain. She would really go out of her way to help someone if she knows they are in need. Janet is the most selfless person I know and sometimes I feel that she is not appreciated enough. Since her diagnosis, I've joked with her that it's so like her to have O positive blood, in which case she can donate blood to anyone, but can only receive from other O positive people.

Right now, she desperately needs our help. So please register to be a bone marrow donor, organize a donor drive, or donate money/fundraise for Janet and her parents (she's already accrued some health debts, her parents have been taking time off of work to take care of Janet, and her younger brother is at UC Davis). Please help Janet live to accomplish all the wonderful things she has planned to do!

Hello

I can tell you first hand that Janet is unlike any other girl you have, or could ever meet. Strong of will, character, and heart, she continues to fight and struggle through any and all adversity, whether it's taking several units past the unit cap (they have those for a reason) or battling Mr. Luke (her pet name for cancer).

But that isn't what sets her apart from everyone else. She aims to please everyone but herself. Her compassion for others is one-of-a-kind. With Janet, you just know that this effort isn't just to find a bone-marrow match to save her life. She takes to heart every story she reads about people fighting the same fight she is, and so she battles on for them too. To her, their lives and her's are one the same. When she finally walks out of the hospital room free of cancer you just know she'll keep fighting for them because the battle isn't over yet. It won't matter if the doctors order her to sit and relax for a few days or weeks, she just won't do it. She cares too much.

Probably the most annoying thing about Janet though is that she'll find beauty in everything. Everything except herself. She just won't believe me when I say that she is the sweetest, most beautiful girl on the planet. She says I am biased. I don't think so. I relished every moment we spent together, the good and the bad. And I am just excited because once she gets through this she will be stronger, and more beautiful than ever.

James

Janet has been a close friend of mine for three years now. Very early on, Janet set herself apart from others because of the way she truly cared about people. I always felt that when I shared with Janet something that was on my mind, she somehow became more concerned about it than I did. Those who know Janet, I'm sure, will agree that I am not exaggerating at all. For example, Janet recently called me to give me advice on how to handle my upcoming interviews. This really touched me because even with all her own issues, she was still thinking about me.

My hope is that everyone visiting this page will take advantage of this opportunity to save a truly beautiful person. Please join the Marrow Donor Registry.

love,

Andrew Lee

Janet is perhaps one of the most courageous souls I have ever had the privilege of associating with. I was a firm believer that the universe had balance… had order, but there is no justice in a sweet 22 year old girl being diagnosed with cancer. Seeing her fight this bleak diagnosis made me realize that my views of our abject world are misplaced. I sincerely and wholeheartedly wish Janet all the best and a speedy recovery.

Why I Love Janet Liang...(not in any particular order)

- There is no one better to study with until literally 12AM at ISOs, drinking boba and coffee.
- She always listens. Even when she knows she is busy. (which is always)
- She understands AND empathizes with my coffee addictions.
- You can always count on her.
- She is willing to walk up and down the steep hills of the westwood apartments just to give her friends Diddy Reese cookies for their finals.
- She is a beautiful person both inside AND out.
- She is selfless
- She is understanding
- She knows why certain TAs at UCLA suck. haha.
- She knows why certain counselors at UCLA suck. haha.
- She always gives, never takes.
- She makes me smile and laugh
- She TEXTS like crazy --- even during movies. haha.
- She is addicted to Facebook
- In short, Janet Liang is not only the strongest person I know, but she is also one of the most determined people, who can fight through anything (even if she doubts herself). I hope she realizes that she has some amazing support systems --- James, her beautiful family, and of course, lifelong friends that will ALWAYS be there. (even if we are half a world apart).

The first time I went to visit Janet at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, I was all ready to cheer her up and I told myself to keep a smile on my face......but the moment I stepped into the room and saw all the machines attached to her, I just started choking up. And I reached out to try give her a pat....there's this horror on Janet's face. OH RIGHT! I have GERMS!!!!!! oops.....so wanted to hug her then ....xoxo

The thing that struck me the most throughout this whole ordeal.......Janet's always apologetic...."Sorry you have to see me like this"....."Sorry you have to spend your Saturday here".......SHE's the one who's in pain, in agony, in bed, in the hospital, and yet, she's thinking about other people. Oh, Janet!

                                              -- Sam
                                              friend, family, family friend

As soon as Janet told me she was from Pleasanton, I knew we would have a special bond. As two of the few girls from the Bay Area on our UCLA dorm floor, we instantly bonded over our shared love for San Francisco, dim sum, and musicals. Our friendship grew stronger with each year in college as we spent another year as floormates, shared an apartment for a summer, and came to realize our vocational calling: helping underserved communities. Janet focused on education, and I watched in awe and amazement as she woke up every Saturday morning at 5am so she could go with UCLA’s Project WILD to help children improve their literacy. Janet also strove to spread political awareness among her peers, especially about issues that dealt with the poor and the marginalized, and I constantly looked to her for guidance and wisdom in my ballot choices.

When I think about Janet, I try not to think of her nausea, her pain, or her suffering, for I have never known Janet to complain and cannot conceive of her without a busy schedule of helping and supporting others. I think of Janet poring over books, constructing lesson plans, drinking endless cups of coffee, pecking away at her computer, taking catnaps, working into the wee hours of the night, and finally waking up to do it all again the next day. I think of Janet dutifully reminding us to attend culture nights, performances, and club meetings to loyally support our friends. I also think of Janet with a tender smile and a laugh, for she has a wonderful sense of humor that brought me endless joy. I laugh to think of Janet almost fainting in hunger but then only eating one plate of food at buffets. I laugh to think of Janet earnestly gathering all of us together to indulge in Vietnamese pho, Korean barbecue, or Cantonese dim sum. I laugh to think of Janet telling me recently, “I look normal, just without hair though. But I have a wig that makes me look like a Korean pop star.”

Janet is one of my best friends because of everything we’ve shared together in the last four years. From boyfriends, to parents, to school, work, religion, politics, roommates, and back, we’ve run the gamut of what friends share with each other. I know Janet to be an innocent, passionate, and truly wonderful young woman who desperately needs our help. I will not let my friend go without a fierce fight. She has a mission on this planet to educate bright young minds and prepare for the future. A beautiful, selfless goal like hers must be fulfilled.