Over 700 people flocked last Wednesday to the Ezer Mizion branch in Jerusalem, which is holding a bone-marrow drive to save the life of 4-year-old Bracha Naomi Mandelbaum.
Bracha Naomi, of Beitar Illit, was diagnosed with leukemia two years ago, and recently suffered a relapse. A suitable bone marrow match had been found for her, but the woman decided against becoming a donor. Bracha Naomi's parents then turned to Ezer Mizion [Help from Zion] to organize an emergency bone marrow drive for their daughter. The organization quickly put up signs in Jerusalem yeshivot and seminaries, and published notices in newspapers. So many people turned out to give the small blood sample that would determine if their tissue type is compatible with Bracha Naomi's that many had to be turned away. Another drive is being planned for the near future.
"The fact that so many people should come, on such short notice, is a phenomenal sign of the love that Jewish people have for each other," said Avigdor Quinn, director of Ezer Mizion's Jerusalem branch. With over 150,000 potential donors, the Ezer Mizion Bone Marrow Donor Registry is the largest Jewish registry in the world and has facilitated over 60 life-saving transplants to date. The cost of the initial tissue-typing test is $40 per blood sample, covered by Ezer Mizion and private sponsors.
Bracha Naomi, of Beitar Illit, was diagnosed with leukemia two years ago, and recently suffered a relapse. A suitable bone marrow match had been found for her, but the woman decided against becoming a donor. Bracha Naomi's parents then turned to Ezer Mizion [Help from Zion] to organize an emergency bone marrow drive for their daughter. The organization quickly put up signs in Jerusalem yeshivot and seminaries, and published notices in newspapers. So many people turned out to give the small blood sample that would determine if their tissue type is compatible with Bracha Naomi's that many had to be turned away. Another drive is being planned for the near future.
"The fact that so many people should come, on such short notice, is a phenomenal sign of the love that Jewish people have for each other," said Avigdor Quinn, director of Ezer Mizion's Jerusalem branch. With over 150,000 potential donors, the Ezer Mizion Bone Marrow Donor Registry is the largest Jewish registry in the world and has facilitated over 60 life-saving transplants to date. The cost of the initial tissue-typing test is $40 per blood sample, covered by Ezer Mizion and private sponsors.