Assemblywoman Fiona Ma Congratulates Millbrae Teens

Assemblywoman Fiona Ma, who represents San Mateo County, thanked about 75 members of the Millbrae Leos Club on Tuesday for their work to promote awareness of hepatitis B.

Ma began speaking to the crowd about her own experience with hepatitis B.

“I went to give blood when I was about 22 years-old and I got a letter that said they couldn’t accept my blood,” said Ma, describing how she found out that she was infected.

Ma went on to describe how she had contracted it from her mother when she was born and how it was just something that Chinese immigrants didn’t talk about.

But, Ma was determined to talk about it, to increase awareness.

“For the past five years I forced my mom to have X-rays. And, you know what, I saved her life,” said Ma, describing how one of those X-rays caught her mother’s incipient liver cancer early enough for successful treatment.

“One in ten Asians have hepatitis B,” Ma told the assembled Leos. “Many of you got vaccinated as babies, so you’re fine. But not your relatives—especially if they were born outside the country.”

As part of the San Mateo Hep B Free campaign, the Leos are working to raise awareness.

“We are great supporters of the hep B campaign,” said Alex Lee, Leos Club President. “We help promote hepatitis B screening.”

“We go to public events, like the Art & Wine Festival, and give out information about where they can get tested—dates and locations,” added Lions Chair and Leos Founder Doug Callahan. “It’s basically public awareness.”

Ma also urged the Leos members to consider public service.

“Some of you have tiger moms, I had a tiger dad,” said Ma of her own youth and the pressure to go to school and get good grades. “I did it and finally I decided, you know what? I want to be in public service. I want to be at the table and making laws. I didn’t want to just complain any more.”

As encouragement, Ma urged any of the Leos to contact her if they’re ever in Sacramento, by friending her on Facebook if need be, and promised to arrange for tours or even shadowing her. She also encouraged the crowd to contact her office about an internship program, which allows interns the opportunity to explore the processes of debating, drafting and voting on legislation.

The interns also help organize events for Ma’s office. “It’s really the same thing these kids are doing already,” said Ma.