CANCER SURVIVORS GATHER TO CELEBRATE LIFE, DONORS.

Byline: Sharline Chiang Daily News Staff Writer

Santa Clarita resident Bob Sabine wore a wide smile Friday, enjoying a picnic with his parents, his wife and hundreds of others.

The 28-year-old said he felt a tad guilty for skipping work, but he wouldn't have missed this day.

After all, Sabine was one of 600 people who turned out for the City of Hope's 21st annual Celebration of Life reunion - all of them survivors of leukemia or other forms of cancer through bone marrow transplants.

``It's kind of a reunion to see old friends. They were all going through similar situations and we talk about old times,'' said Sabine, who was diagnosed with chronic myelogenous leukemia four years ago.

Luckily, his sister Tammy's marrow was a perfect match - and he has been in remission ever since.

Survivors, donors and healers spent the day catching up on the green lawns of the renowned cancer treatment center, the National Medical Center and Beckman Research Institute at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains near Pasadena.

Though the scene resembled a giant picnic, what most transplant recipients had to endure was anything but that.

Aside from side-effects from chemotherapy, Sabine was fed through an intravenous tube after the transplant and was highly susceptible to germs. Even back home he had to select food carefully, couldn't shake hands, and wore a cotton, surgical mask - everywhere.

``One thing this has done for me is to look at life from a different perspective,'' Sabine said. ``I used to worry about little small things. Now it's like, `Is that really important after what you've been through?' ''

On Friday, people exchanged hugs and kisses with survivors of various ages and ethnicities. For staff of the transplant program, the second-largest of its kind in the world, it was a moment to cherish the results.

``This is a reminder of the work they do and why they do it,'' said Dr. Stephen J. Forman, director of the center's department of hematology and bone marrow transplantation.

Sabine said his goal now is to donate to the center some of his earnings from his business development company. He encourages others to donate bone marrow.

``Some people think it's painful, but it's not,'' he said. ``You may be weak and tired for a couple of days. But it's a small inconvenience. You're giving someone a new chance at life.''

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Photo: (Color) Valencia resident Bob Sabine smiles as he attends the City of Hope's reunion Friday of leukemia survivors, bone marrow donors, family and friends.

David Sprague/Daily News