When the young married couple Kristine and Dan Reed moved to San Francisco from Minnesota with backpacks containing only their possessions, it was a first step toward living each day in pursuit of their dreams, no matter what the obstacles.

Kristine, whose passion is primates, soon landed a position with the Gorilla Foundation, the organization that pioneered sign language communication with Koko, the famous gorilla. When an exciting opportunity developed to work with the chimpanzees at the Los Angeles Zoo, the Reeds moved to Southern California.

But three weeks after Kristine began working at the zoo, she became ill and was soon diagnosed as having acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). Kristine was stunned and terribly disappointed that her work with the chimpanzees was now on hold.

After learning that a bone marrow transplantation (BMT) was her best hope for remission, Kristine chose City of Hope for her treatment. On May 17, 1999, under the care of Margaret R. O’Donnell, M.D., Kristine underwent the BMT, with her older sister Michelle Ooley donating the lifesaving marrow.

In March 2000, Kristine was ready to return to work, but due to her weakened immune system, she could not risk working with primates. Not to be stymied by lost opportunity, Kristine shifted her focus and contacted The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society where she was hired as the assistant to the executive director. In 2002 and 2003, with her winning attitude, Kristine participated in The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training program, raised over $10,000, and completed the Suzuki Rock ‘N Roll San Diego Marathon and the Virginia Beach Half Marathon.

Still, Kristine’s true passion remains with primates and, ultimately, she had to return to her first love. Commuting from her home in Long Beach and juggling a part-time job, Kristine is completing her degree in primatology at the University of California, San Diego. Best of all, in good health and with the blessings of O’Donnell, she is studying bonobos, a.k.a. “pygmy chimpanzees,” at San Diego’s Wild Animal Park. Once again, she is living her dream. “If you are lucky enough to live, you need to pursue your passion. If you don’t, then life is yours to miss,” she says.