Ah, the lazy days of summer… As a kid, I remember always looking forward to the summer; you know – long sunny days, no school, and summer camp, right? But now, summer, and particularly the month of July have a whole new meaning of freedom. For me, it all changed over one night in July, 1995. That was when I had my own transplant and began my life all over again. Some say it is my new birthday, but I prefer to look at it as my “transplantaversary,” and it’s even more special because I will forever share that day with my donor, Becky.
Having just celebrated my 15th transplantaversary, I began to think about how lucky I really am. Not only for my second chance at life, but for the journey that I have been able to take since that summer day. As I reflected on how my life has changed, I realized that the accomplishments are not mine alone, but a result of the goodness within the people around me. It is their spirit and determination to make a difference that has always kept me moving forward, and for that, I cannot say enough.
As grateful as I am for that milestone in my life, I am even more grateful for the second chance that I was given to create the Gift of Life organization, and to surround myself with other people who are as passionate about saving lives as I am. It all started as the “Friends of Jay;” basically my family and friends, who wouldn’t take no for an answer. During the search for my miracle match, an astounding 60,000 people were tested, and ultimately helped save the lives of hundreds of other people as well as me. From Gift of Life’s beginning, when it was just me and Barby, we made strides in reaching out and making a name for ourselves. Over time, we have continued to grow; now our team is 30 employees strong, and we have hundreds of volunteers nationwide ready to rally the cause at a moment’s notice.
Every day, we spread our mission further and further and save more lives with every step forward. During Gift of Life’s first year, we facilitated 3 transplants. In 2009, we were responsible for facilitating 95 transplants. Now that’s an accomplishment!
Recently, I was nominated for a Community Hero Award. This is a big deal not only for me, but for everyone involved with Gift of Life! The recognition that this award would bring is invaluable and it would help us to continue our life-saving work. The award comes with a grant in the amount of $25,000. That will allow us to test 463 new donors, and bring us that much closer to seeing our vision realized – that every time a search is initiated, a patient’s miracle match will be found!
If you are reading this blog, then I know that you are motivated to help Gift of Life succeed. Voting ends on October 8th and the winners of the award will be introduced at the General Assembly in New Orleans in November. The General Assembly is the largest gathering of Jewish Federations in North America. Gift of Life will be present as an exhibitor and testing people throughout the conference. I hope to have a follow-up to this posting soon after the conference with good news.