When leukemia survivor Jay Goldman received a call from the Gift of Life Marrow Registry, he was thrilled to accept their invitation to meet his lifesaving stem cell donor, Noam Goldberg, in person for the first time. The heartwarming and emotional introduction took place in Miami Beach on May 17, 2025, at the annual Chamber of Commerce Gala, where Gift of Life was being honored.
Lymphoma survivor Jonathan Plutzik, owner of The Betsy South Beach Hotel and a prominent chamber member, introduced the two men during the event, also giving background information on how the transplant came about.
Jay, a 76-year-old retired software engineer from Waltham, Mass., was diagnosed with lymphoma in 2023 after experiencing lingering pain in his left foot. It turned out to be a blood clot, which, while dangerous, may have saved his life. When being treated at the hospital, his bloodwork revealed the disease, and he was immediately moved to a blood cancer unit.
“I’m not sure I understood how serious the situation was at that point,” said Jay. “I was totally surprised at the diagnosis, but understood that a stem cell transplant was doable, and my doctor gave me confidence that a matching donor would be found.”
His genetically matching donor, Noam, who had joined the registry during his Birthright Israel trip, was in Israel at the time, finishing up a three-year residency and preparing to return to the United States. Gift of Life donors must have their stem cell or marrow collections within the country, so the timing worked out well.
“I felt gratitude on learning I would be able to donate,” said Noam. “I never quite had the means to help others in need in the way I would like to, and this felt like my first opportunity to do so in an impactful way.”
Noam donated at the John Theurer Cancer Center in Hackensack, N.J., accompanied by his mother. As his father has survived two forms of cancer, his family was very supportive of Noam’s decision to donate.
“If my dad had needed a transplant, I would have wished desperately for him to have enough compatible and willing donors,” said Noam.
Since stem cell transplant donations must remain anonymous for the first year after the procedure, Noam only knew he was donating to a stranger needing his help to survive lymphoma.
“Even before I found out that Jay was healthy and interested in meeting, this was an incredibly rewarding experience,” said Noam. “I had the chance to do something that brought a little light into the darkness.”
Fortunately, Jay’s recovery went very well, despite the challenges of having both his wife and daughter battling other forms of cancer at the same time. All three of them had successful treatments.
At the moment they met for the first time, the two men shared a warm hug to the cheers of the gala attendees.
“I don’t know what I would have done if Noam wasn’t available to donate,” said Jay. “I’m extremely grateful; it goes far beyond merely thanking him. I think knowing him is going to be fun, but it’s also a little odd – he has the same last name as my cousins, even though he and I aren’t related. We may have differences in our ages and interests, but we will always be emotionally connected.”
(L-R) Miami Beach City Commission Alex Hernandez, stem cell donor Noam Goldberg, transplant recipient Jay Goldman, Miami Beach Police Chief Wayne A. Jones, and Gift of Life Director of Development Robyn Malek.
During the gala, Gift of Life Marrow Registry was recognized by the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce with the Jan Pfeiffer Distinguished Service Award for its national leadership in stem cell donor registration and transplant innovation. Chamber President Brittnie Bassant presented the award to Gift of Life’s Director of Development Robyn Malek.
Noam, 27, recently relocated to New York and works in the real estate industry. He enjoys traveling and spending time with family and friends, as well as exercise and playing sports, attending live music events and watching the Knicks.
Jay, 76, is a retired software engineer from Waltham, Mass. where he and his wife Marianne reside. He has two adult children and is a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In his free time, he enjoys playing billiards and cycling.