A group of pre-med students had a memorable day at Sheba Medical Center in Israel thanks to Gift of Life. The Young Judaea Year Course (a Hadassah program) is one of the biggest programs for post high school students in Israel. They have several different tracks and Gift of Life coordinated a bone marrow transplant education day for the students pursuing the pre-med track on October 30, 2008.

Their day had three major foci: the medical, personal and practical, and were privileged to have Dr. Ron Lowenthal, head of the tissue typing laboratory at Sheba, speak to them about the role of genetics and ethnic groupings in medicine.  Dr. Lowenthal explained that bone marrow transplants are the most complicated type of transplant because of the need for genetic matches.  He praised Gift of Life for its work to increase the number of Jewish potential donors available to patients throughout the world.   He then took the students on a “behind the scenes” tour of Sheba’s tissue typing lab.

Dr. Raphael Weitz, director of the Neurology Institute at the Schneider Children's Medical Center in Israel, was the next speaker.  Dr. Weitz spoke to the students not only as a physician, but also as a transplant recipient!  He found his life saving match through Gift of Life’s registry.  Dr. Weitz met his donor, Robert Eppenstein at the Gift of Life Gala in New York in 2006.   “He is part of my family now,” says Dr. Weitz.  The students were very moved and grateful to have the opportunity to hear his story.  In meeting Dr. Weitz, they had the opportunity to witness the personal impact of Gift of Life’s mission, saving lives and giving hope to families. 

Halana Rosenfield, Gift of Life’s Israel Coordinator, spoke about how and why Jay Feinberg started the organization, which is the largest Jewish registry outside of Israel. Inspired by what they had seen and heard, they decided to run a drive to enroll their fellow students on other Young Judaea year course tracks.  A committee was set up on the spot to start planning the drive.

Our future is in our youth.  Gift of Life was delighted to have the opportunity to educate these young future doctors about the importance of its work.  Even before they begin their formal medical education, they have become fully engaged in Gift of Life’s mission.

Special thanks to Halana Rosenfield, Gift of Life’s Israel Coordinator and to Aliza Grayevsky of Young Judaea.  It was their creativity that led to this educational and inspiring day. We are grateful to Drs. Loewenthal and Weitz for taking time out of their busy schedules to speak to the students. They are both true heroes.