Under the spectacular grand ceiling of Sony Hall, the ambiance was electric as more than 300 donors, recipients, volunteers, and supporters gathered for Celebrating Life New York City on March 5. Hosted by Gift of Life’s Young Professionals Committee, the evening featured a mission of purpose and joy, a dazzling celebration of lives saved, second chances granted, and the vibrant community making it all possible.
Board of Directors member and stem cell donor Julia Kingsley, who also heads the organization’s highly active national Young Professional (YP) Committee, served as the Master of Ceremonies. She was also an event chair, along with long-time supporters and YP Committee members, Sydnie Spector and Jennifer Winick
The event’s activities included chance drawings, a silent auction, and branded items for sale to raise funds for the lab testing of donor registration kits to add new donors to the registry. Every new volunteer who joins Gift of Life has the immediate potential to save someone’s life, so this effort is essential to finding matches for patients.
The high point of the evening was when Tucson, Ariz., resident Sharon Schlessinger, 63, met the 30-year-old New Yorker who saved her life, Justin Roth. Emily Rubinstein, who has been fundraising for the organization’s mission since 2021, had the honor of introducing them. Donors and recipients must remain anonymous for the first year after the transplant, so the moment when they finally learn each other’s identities is emotional and highly anticipated.
Emily welcomed Sharon to the stage and described her battle to overcome cancer. Several years after surviving breast cancer in 2009, Sharon began experiencing seemingly unrelated symptoms: skin problems, repeated kidney infections, hair loss and other issues. Without a clear diagnosis, she initially believed the problem was related to her first bout with cancer. But after a three-week hospitalization in 2023, a bone marrow biopsy finally led her doctors to a specific disease: myelodysplastic disorder, a form of blood cancer. They gave her a two-year survival window.
“I felt relief that we finally had an accurate diagnosis, but great sadness that I may not live to see my grandchild grow up,” said Sharon.
Her best, life-saving option was to have a peripheral blood stem cell transplant from a matching donor. Sharon was elated when that match, Justin, was quickly found in Gift of Life’s registry, and her transplant was arranged and took place successfully in 2024.
“When Gift of Life called me after seven years in the registry, I quickly realized that I could really help someone in need,” said Justin, who had joined the registry on his Birthright Israel trip. “Within Judaism, the preservation of human life is the most important thing, and it is a mitzvah and huge honor to donate stem cells or marrow.”
Since transplants are anonymous for the first year, the two were unable to learn each other’s identities, so when Justin came to the stage, the two shared a long, emotional hug.
“Gift of Life makes the donation process so easy,” said Justin. “I never thought when I swabbed my cheek on Birthright almost a decade ago that I’d be standing here with Sharon tonight.”
“Saying ‘thank you’ is not enough; it seems a small, trite and inadequate thing to say to someone who has been raised right and done such a mitzvah,” said Sharon. “I was given two years to live and only a 40% chance of transplant success. Because of Justin, I’m seeing my boys raise their families and got to meet my grandson.”
In addition to the donor-recipient introduction, two Gift of Life supporters were honored. Julia introduced each of them and presented the awards.
Jodi Eisner was recognized for her incredible efforts to recruit donors in memory of her daughter, Annie, who lost her life after a three-year battle with acute myeloid leukemia. The national program “Annie’s Army” was created in her honor and works closely with Gift of Life to recruit college students, so that every person in need of a donor can find a match. Annie’s Army supports the causes she was passionate about: funding cancer research, adding new donors to the registry and treating every day like a birthday celebration.
As she accepted the award, Jodi was focused on praising those who have stepped up to help recruit new donors.
“We could not do this work without the volunteers who have planned and executed 256 Annie’s Army drives over the past two-and-a-half years,” she said. To date, the program has swabbed more than 13,000 new donors and resulted in six completed, lifesaving transplants, with many more to come.
The second award of recognition went to Aaron “Ari” Karesh, who takes Gift of Life’s mission very personally. His uncle, Avi Karesh z”l, donated marrow to a blood cancer patient in 2007. He then became active with Gift of Life, both hosting donor recruitment drives and raising funds, eventually joining the board of directors. Avi later developed leukemia himself, and although he received two bone marrow transplants, he passed away in August 2016.
Ari has continued to support and advocate for Gift of Life’s mission, first as a Campus Ambassador at Yeshiva University, and now serving on the YP Committee.
“Even though my uncle Avi passed away 10 years ago, his passion for Gift of Life’s mission and his legacy as being not just a giver, but a do-er, lives on,” said Ari. “When he passed away, he had swabbed over 1,500 people, resulting in 28 matches and 4 transplants. Today, his Donor Circle now has 77 matches and 11 transplants.”
Ari also pointed out that his entire family are Gift of Life advocates: his wife was a Campus Ambassador, his youngest brother is currently an Ambassador at Yeshiva University, and his other brother and cousin run in 5ks to raise funds in support of Gift of Life. In addition, the Karesh family in Chicago continues to host swab drives.
“I choose to view myself as representing my entire family, accepting this honor on behalf of us all,” Ari added.
As the evening came to a close, the sense of purpose was clear to all. Stories like Sharon and Justin’s, alongside the tireless dedication of supporters such as Jodi Eisner and Ari Karesh, illustrated what makes Gift of Life’s mission extraordinary: the power of individuals coming together to give others a second chance at life. Celebrating Life New York City was not just a fundraiser; it was a moving reminder that every act of generosity helps write another chapter of hope in the fight to save lives.