By Richard Evans, Blood Stem Cell Donor

My incredible journey as a donor began four years ago, when at my wife's insistence, we were tested to be bone marrow donors for a gentleman named Dan Brown, who was suffering from leukemia. Were it not for my wife, I don't think I would have gone. Needless to say, neither of us were a match for Dan.

I had put this experience out of my mind, thinking that nothing would ever come of us registering. After all, what were the chances? In March of 2001, I received the phone call that would change my life. Arlene Feinberg from the Gift of Life called and said I was a potential match for a recipient. Would I mind going for a further blood test to see if I was compatible? Despite my fear of needles, I said yes without hesitating. When I learned that I was a perfect match, I was ecstatic. After further tests and informational sessions with Gift of Life, the blood stem cell donation was scheduled for June 5.

I told everyone I knew about this amazing opportunity. This was probably going to be my once in a lifetime chance to make a difference in someone's life, and nothing was going to deter me. Many people asked "How can you do this for a complete stranger?" I replied simply "How can I not?" How could I not offer aid to someone in need? What if it was me? Or even worse, one of my children? "But aren't you scared?" people asked. I really wasn't.

So, after months of preparation and several more encounters with needles, on June 5, 2001, I spent a day at Cornell Medical Center, here in New York. There I was, attached to an aphaeresis machine, which is similar to dialysis, where a bag of stem cells was filtered from my blood. All in all, the entire level of pain was less than a trip to the dentist. The entire staff at Gift of Life was incredible and extremely supportive. They acted as "guardian angels" for me throughout the entire process. There was always someone there. I looked forward to the numerous phone calls following my donation updating me on the status on my recipient.

After a year of waiting to meet my recipient, it finally happened on June 6, 2002, in front of several hundred people at the second annual Gift of Life Donor-Recipient Gala. It was one of the most incredible and special days of my life. I finally got to meet Danny Raskin; the recipient of my blood stem cells. What made it even more incredible was to find out that we both live in Nassau County, within five miles of each other. Since that time, Danny and I have remained great friends. We speak on the phone weekly and see each other often. Being a stem cell donor is one of the proudest moments of my life. Not only do I have the joy of performing a great mitzvah, but I have gained a friend through the process as well.