There are certain dates that will stick with me forever.  July 6, 2004 – the day I was diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia.  July 21, 2005 – the day I found out the cancer had come back.  November 4, 2005 – the day I got my transplant and celebrated my new “birthday” for the first time.  A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to add another date to this list.  May 15, 2007 – the day of the Partners for Life Gala, when I met the miracle match who had been my blood stem cell donor and saved my life.  It was a day that I had dreamed about for a long time.  What would she be like?  Would she like me?  What would I say to her?  How would I possibly be able to express how much her generosity, her amazing gift of life, meant to me? 

In the week leading up to the gala I was very emotional and doubted my ability to make it through the presentation and my speech without breaking into tears.  The first hug between my donor, Tzivya, and I was extremely emotional, but after the hug I just couldn’t stop smiling!  I had finally met the person who had done so much for me, and as I got to talk with her and get to know her a little my smile only got bigger.  Tzivya is such a wonderful, kind, caring person and I know we will have a very close, lifelong relationship.  It was a little surreal at first to see “my donor,” who had been this unknown guardian angel for the past 18 months of my life, as an actual person in front of me with a name and a face, but being able to connect the “my donor” with a real person is so much more wonderful than I had imagined.  I can never thank her enough or fully express how grateful I am for her incredible, selfless gift to me.  Because of Tzivya I am alive today and able to look forward to my future.  I eagerly anticipate all of our conversations and emails and am looking forward to creating more special memories together.