Yorba Linda, CA – Yosef Eliezrie, 21, knew he wouldn’t survive leukemia without a perfect match.
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A year and a half ago, a precious container of bone marrow arrived at Children’s Hospital of Orange County from an anonymous donor and Eliezrie underwent a transplant.
Today, Eliezrie returned to the hospital, this time in good health and with a new friend – Moshe Price, his bone marrow donor all the way from Israel.
Eliezrie of Yorba Linda and Moshe of Jerusalem discovered they had much in common when they spoke by telephone after waiting the required one year to communicate.
Both are Orthodox Jews and study the Torah as full-time students. They are only a couple of years apart in age.
“Not only are we a perfect physical match, we’re somewhat of a spiritual match,” Eliezrie said.
Price, 24, is visiting relatives in the United States and came to Orange County to meet Eliezrie and his family. He said he was eager to meet the recipient of his stem cells since the moment he gave them.
“I knew exactly what I did but to see with your eyes,” Price said. “Anyone out there that has any doubts about it, I tell them don’t worry, it’s the best feeling.”
Eliezrie had also waited a long time to finally offer a proper thank you.
“I don’t think you’ll ever understand the magnitude of what you’ve done,” he told Price. “My only chance of living was a transplant. You’ve provided me that chance.” [Orange County Register]
FYI
Bone Marrow contains stem cells.
and the stem Cells is what they are after
There are two ways of extracting them:
1. they give you injections that naturally boost the amount of marrow (which contains-stem cells) in your blood and than take it out like any other blood donation
2. THe preferred way is they extract marrow from the pelvic bone (which is where the the most is found) and they give it to the patient
either way for the patient (other than the obvious danger and recovery time) it is very similar to a blood transfusion but only through a special IV.
I think today most people undergo a stem cell transplant vs. what used to be known as a bone marrow transplant. Can somebody please clarify this for us laymen?
Although I have never been called, I signed up years ago. Every one should. If you give blood, usually they have a form their and their one extra test if I remember. Many Jews share common ancestry that would make them compatible donors. V’chol hamikayam nefesh achos… I know the Eliezries from the old days in “in der haim noch” (Florida) and I’m glad b’chasdei Hashem this worked out. The reason there is a one year waiting period is because of the possibility the transplant might Ch”v fail and it would put a tremendous emotional toll on both patients and their families.
And just one correction, it was BONE MARROW not stem cells as stated in the middle of the article.
mi k’amcha yisroel!!!!
We all share genetic material and are related; we are all descendants of one man and woman.
Look back a number of generations. There is a good chance that they share genetic material and might be related.
Beautiful story may all Yidden be blessed with gezunt.
May the Eliezri family be blessed with much nachas and may the Donor be blessed with everything he ever could want. Gezunt parnasa and nachas and may his maysim Tovim stand in good stead for him for ever.
SHloma,
what a maaseh! Tears are streaming down my face! May HKB”H Heal all the cholim of klal yisrael, and Grany us all a month a of nissim and geula!
Kol Hamekayim Nefesh Achas
beautiful story. thanks VIN
Everyone should be registered with the Gift of Life to help those whose lives depend on receiving these transplants
This is the literal meaning of “Kol Yisrael Ereivim Zeh L’Zeh”.
May the beautiful Mitzvah that you have done be a protector to all Yidden over the whole world!
Wow!!! Boruch hashem!!!! may all yiden find the right shliach!!! and all that need a refuah hashem should them a refuah shleimah bkorov!!!!!! mi keamchu yisroel!!!!