Dan is a Gift of Life hero. He first learned about Gift of Life at Ramah Day Camp in Nyack, New York in 2006.  While working as a camp counselor, he knew that having the potential to save someone’s life was important, and intrigued, Dan signed up to become a registered donor. The rest of his summer continued without him giving much thought to becoming a donor, and he was looking forward to college in the fall. 

A year later, in October 2007, Dan received a call from Gift of Life informing him he was a match for a patient in need. He was very excited about the possibility, and he went through the work-up process to determine how good of a match he was. He was notified a month later that someone else was a better match; he was disappointed, but he was glad that they found someone who could better serve the needs of the patient.

In early 2008, Dan received yet another call from Gift of Life informing him he was a match for the same patient they had told him about a few months before. There was a sense of urgency; so, in March, he traveled from his college, SUNY-Buffalo, to New York City and donated peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC).  He didn’t have the easiest time, but for him, it was definitely worth any difficulties to save a life. Dan signed up to become a donor because it seemed like the right thing to do. His thought was that it could be him who needed a transplant tomorrow, so why wouldn’t he help someone in need?

Though his recipient passed away, and they never got the chance to meet, he will never regret becoming a donor. He was saddened by her passing but grateful that his donation gave her time to spend time with her family, even if only for awhile longer.

Dan’s relationship with Gift of Life didn’t end after donating. He has volunteered at donor drives, both at the camp where he registered and at his undergraduate college. He is hoping to run a drive at the Jewish Theological Seminary in Manhattan, where he is currently studying for a Master’s degree in Jewish Education. He has a passion for helping others and his advice for those who are contemplating joining the registry is “to just do it. If it was someone you loved or yourself, you’d want others to sign up. There’s nothing to lose; you’re not losing anything but time, and in that time, you could save a life.” As to whether he would donate again, if called, he would do it in a heartbeat.