Gift of Life’s 11th Annual Partner for Life Gala will take place on May 12, 2011. A momentous occasion that will celebrate twenty years of saving lives by uniting transplant recipients and their donors while honoring those affected by bone marrow transplants.

Twenty years ago, Executive Director of Gift of Life, Jay Feinberg, was diagnosed with Leukemia and told by his doctors that he would need a bone marrow transplant to save his life. Jay’s four year personal challenge of finding a bone marrow donor launched a mark in history known as the grassroots movement “Friends of Jay.” From that moment, those friends would spread the word on the need for bone marrow donors culminating in what is now known as Gift of Life Bone Marrow Foundation.

The initial goal was two-fold, to increase the number of donors in the worldwide registry and find Jay his miracle match. The Feinbergs started in their own community of West Orange, New Jersey and sent a team half-way across the world to Belarus, Russia. As years passed and Jay became weaker by the day, it was time to consider a partial match for transplant. One last recruitment drive was scheduled in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and it was at that very drive where Becky, Jay’s perfect match, was found.

Now, twenty years later, Gift of Life has made it their mission to find matches for patients with life-threatening illnesses who are in need of bone marrow transplants. To date, Gift of Life maintains a worldwide registry of over 178,000 potential bone marrow donors and has facilitated more than 2,200 transplants.

Sponsorship opportunities are available. Please contact Barby Sloven at (561)982-2914 or gala@giftoflife.org for more information.

 To view pdf of actual Gala Invite, click here.