For students across North America, back to school meant more than a return to the dorms, books and midterms that make up the college experience this Fall. Thanks to landmark partnerships with organizations such as Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life, Alpha Epsilon Pi Fraternity, Kedma and birthright israel operators including Canada Israel Experience, Gift of Life has added close to 10,000 young, healthy volunteers to its registry of donors.

The response to the program has been astounding. Students on college campuses across North America and those studying in Israel have embraced the opportunity to raise awareness about the life-saving potential of bone marrow transplants. Jay Feinberg said, "By providing educational outreach on campus, we are reinforcing the concept of tikkun olam, repairing our world, and recruiting young, committed donors who will remain in the registry for many years."

"We want every college student to understand that he or she has the power to save a life by participating in a bone marrow registry," explained Hillel International President Avraham Infeld. "Hillel is pleased to be playing a role on campus in promoting bone marrow registration."

After only one semester, over two dozen students have been identified as potential matches for patients needing transplants, and one has already donated peripheral blood stem cells. The students were recruited at drives on the campuses of University of Arizona, SUNY Binghamton, Brooklyn College, Florida Atlantic University, Georgetown University, George Washington University, McGill University, Pennsylvania State University, University of Pittsburgh, Rutgers University, Syracuse University, University of Western Ontario as well as several yeshivot in Israel.

Potential donors are now at a stage known as Confirmatory Typing. They have been asked to give small samples of blood which transplant centers use to verify that donors and their potential recipients are indeed a close enough genetic match. If all goes well, they will begin preparations to donate either bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cells and save the life of a patient.

Amy Fishman, a freshman at George Washington University has already experienced the thrill of becoming a donor. After joining Gift of Life's registry at a drive held on her campus in November, Amy was shocked when she learned just one month later that she was a match for a 60 year old man with leukemia. She donated her peripheral blood stem cells in a procedure that lasted six hours.

The response to recruitment efforts at birthright israel programs has been just as enthusiastic. Gift of Life was pleased to hold six donor recruitment drives in Israel, including two at birthright israel's Mega Event at the Jerusalem International Convention Center in January. An impressive 740 young adults joined the Registry. According to Debbie Rauh, a recruitment coordinator with Gift of Life, "The participants were very excited about the life-saving possibilities of becoming a donor. Many told me they felt that the trip to Israel was a gift and that this was their chance to give something back to the Jewish community. They were very touched by our mission and anxious to participate."

Gift of Life has also been working with KEDMA, an international student organization devoted to social activism and chesed (acts of kindness) to recruit over 300 North American students who are studying in Israel's yeshivot and universities. Shira Stanleigh, who currently heads the effort in Israel, shares the story of her brother Audey's struggle with leukemia at every donor drive she coordinates. Audey received a bone marrow transplant from a donor who was originally tested to see if he was a match for Jay Feinberg. The transplant gave the Stanleigh family extra years together that they otherwise might not have had. Shira explained, "When someone is given back their life, even if it's just for a small time, every person who will ever interact with the recipient is touched in some way. As someone who has been lucky enough to be on the receiving end of that extra time, I can tell you what a blessing it is. That is why I give so much of my time encouraging others to become donors with Gift of Life." She continued, "When I explain how formative those years of having Audey around were, it forces students to really conceptualize what it means to give the 'gift of life' and they are reminded that beyond the technical side of the donation, there is a palpable human being."

Over 50 donor drives have been scheduled since the program's inception, and the list of upcoming drives is continuously updated on our website (click here to locate a drive near you!)

Joining Gift of Life's Registry is simple, fast and painless, requiring only a cheek swab. No blood is drawn at donor drives. Donors must be between the ages of 18-60 and in general good health. To coordinate a donor drive on your campus or with any group reaching young Jewish adults, contact Eddie Feinberg, Gift of Life Recruitment Coordinator at (561) 988-0100 x24 (toll free: 1-800-9MARROW) or efeinberg@giftoflife.org.