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Giving the Gift of Life at Temple

Lynbrook's Temple Am Echad partners to match donors for registry

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Leukemia, lymphoma and other blood diseases are random killers — they can strike any of us at any time. But thankfully, for many, there is hope of a cure through a bone marrow or blood stem cell transplant. That is, of course, if a matching donor can be found.

Temple Am Echad in Lynbrook partnered with Gift of Life Bone Marrow Foundation and the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism to bring an exciting and unique opportunity to help save lives through a donor recruitment drive that was held on Yom Kippur at the Temple. This drive was able to secure 52 donors who had their cheeks swabbed.

One in 200 Americans will need a bone marrow or blood stem cell transplant in their lifetime. While 30 percent of patients can find a suitable donor from within their family, 70 percent must turn to the bone marrow registry to find a match. Gift of Life is one of North America’s public donor, bone marrow and blood stem cell registries, and a world leader helping children and adults find the matches they need when they need them.

“This was one of the easiest things I have ever done,” said Lisa Burch, who had the inside of her cheek swabbed, “much faster and certainly less intrusive than giving blood, which is something I also do several times a year. I participated for two reasons — one, because I feel like I have an obligation to help others when I am able to; and two, because I wanted to support this important initiative being undertaken by my synagogue.” Burch said that she felt great knowing that, by taking 5 minutes out of her day, she could potentially save someone’s life down the road. “This was truly what is known as a mitzvah.”

The chairwomen of the committee were Victoria Trager and Barbara Stern. “Imagine if one of these people are a match someday, and save a life,” said Stern.

Trager added that “this was one of the most rewarding things I have ever had the privilege to work on.”