Five years to the day after swabbing at a Hanukkah fair, former U.S. Marine Kenneth was given the opportunity to donate blood stem cells to save a life. Kenneth joined the registry in 2017 at a recruitment event organized by Gail Oliver, a 30-year Gift of Life volunteer. But, it wasn’t until 2021 that Kenneth received the call to help a woman in her 50s battling non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. 

“As a religious Jew, this is something that is very beautiful,” said Kenneth. “To learn I was a match so close to Hanukkah at the same time I joined the registry seems like a miracle. Literally four years to the day I got the call. I said, ‘I’m in, don’t worry about it, I’m in – we’re talking about saving a life, whatever it takes.’”

Before his donation, Kenneth was retested to ensure that he was a match for the recipient. After the workup, he was confirmed as a match and told that his recipient needed the procedure soon. “I got the call that said she does need the transplant and we need to do it in the next several weeks,” Kenneth said of that second call. “I said ‘let’s do it, let’s rock, no questions asked.’”

Kenneth, who donated at the Adelson Collection Center in Boca Raton, Fla., felt that it was a very good experience. “My collection was still during the pandemic, so no one came with me,” said Kenneth. “I watched a bunch of old school Baywatch episodes and caught up on my David Hasselhoff and the whole crew. It was very pleasant, they had Kosher food and everything, but I didn’t even end up eating it. The truth is [donating] went so fast.” Because he produced so many stem cells, the four- to six-hour process only took around three hours for him.

Being able to donate was very important for Kenneth. As a former U.S. Marine who was deployed overseas, he was prohibited from donating blood, but he could still donate stem cells and was happy to be able to give to someone and help them. 

After donating, Kenneth feels connected to his recipient. “For me it was a very pleasant experience, at a higher level,” he said. “[Donating] connected me to this person who I hope is doing well and who I hope, God willing, to meet one day.”  In the United States, donors and recipients must remain anonymous for the first year after the transplant. After that year, if both agree, they may exchange contact information or meet in person. 

“Everyone should do this, especially in the religious Jewish world,” urged Kenneth. “For us it’s a responsibility, if we can save a life, we do. It’s our values. If there’s any way I can encourage others to donate, I definitely would.”

Kenneth is a graduate of Brooklyn College and is now an executive for an assisted living company. He has been happily married for seven years, and has three children aged six, four, and two. Kenneth spends much of his free time at the rifle range, boating, and with his family. 
 

Kenneth's swab kit was sponsored by the Steven and Beverly Rubenstein Charitable Foundation Donor Circle.