Heather, a teacher at American Heritage School located in South Florida, learned about Gift of Life through a simple internet search. After searching our website and learning about our mission to save the lives of patients in need of bone marrow transplants, she sent away for a swab kit online to register as a potential bone marrow donor. In addition to being a teacher at AHS, Heather also heads up the Jewish Culture and Awareness club at the school. When she received her swab kit, she took her kit to her class and swabbed her cheeks in front of her students.
That simple action spurred them to get involved with Gift of Life. Besides wanting to join the bone marrow donor registry, Heather was looking for a great cause to get involved with that was appropriate for the club. She contacted Marti, Gift of Life’s Senior Development Associate, and Marti told her about the Gift of Life’s Second Annual Walk for Life. Heather and her students formed a team for the Walk, which took place on February 12, 2012, and started fundraising.
After they participated in the Walk, Marti went and spoke with them about what Gift of Life does. They set a goal to start fundraising to pay for 18 waitlisted donor kits, but once they hit that goal, they decided to double it to 36 kits. In order to pay for 36 kits, Heather and her students would have had to raise over $1900. They reached and exceeded their goal. They raised money through their team for the Walk, hosted a bake sale, which raised a record-breaking amount of money, and even from collecting funds through piggy banks. Heather even raffled off the chance for one of her students to throw a pie in her face to help raise money.
Their hard work paid off: they raised an amazing sum of $2,185, enough to clear 40 kits on the waitlist! Because of their efforts, patients searching for their miracle match have a better chance of finding that one person who could save their life. The hope they’ve given to those patients is immeasurable, and we are so thankful for and proud of their efforts.