2600 potential bone marrow donors swabbed in Five Towns

Posted

More than $60,000 raised to cover costs

By Jewish Star Staff

June 4, 2010 / 22 Sivan 5770

A young mother in North Woodmere who was diagnosed with leukemia gave birth to a baby boy on Sunday as thousands of people participated in bone marrow testing drives. While she is said to not require a bone marrow transplant, three other young people in the region diagnosed with leukemia or related diseases do require transplants and need to find bone marrow matches at once. They include 20 year old Zack Englander of Woodmere, 35 year old Matt Fenster of Riverdale, and a nine year old girl in Massachusetts.

Hundreds of volunteers swabbed 2600 people during simultaneous drives at Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns and Rockaway High School in Cedarhurst and at Yeshiva Shor Yoshuv in Lawrence, as well as at satellite locations at a 5k run sponsored by Young Israel of Jamaica Estates in Queens, at a shul event at Kehillas Aish Kodesh in Woodmere and even at a wedding at The Sands of Atlantic Beach on Sunday evening. Organizers of the testing effort said the groom and his father extended a personal invitation to testers to set up a table at the simcha to encourage their guests to be tested as possible donors.

The National Council of Young Israel and the Gift of Life Bone Marrow Foundation, which coordinates bone marrow drives and donations among the Jewish population worldwide, are cooperating on an international effort to make testing kits available online at no cost.

National Council of Young Israel President Shlomo Mostovsky, First Vice President Eli Dworetsky and Chief Operating Officer Chaim Leibtag, joined by Jonathan Nierenberg, an organizer of the drive who represented the Gift of Life Foundation, made the announcement during a live webcast of ‘What’s Next, the latest from the Jewish Star,’ which is heard online at www.nachumsegal.com. A special edition of the program, hosted by Jewish Star publisher and editor-in-chief Mayer Fertig, and columnist Miriam L. Wallach, was webcast live from the HAFTR High School auditorium as the drive was underway. The program is usually heard on Thursdays at 2:00 p.m., live from the Jewish Star offices.

For information about additional testing opportunities or to make a donation go www.giftoflife.org.

This story reflects a correction from the print edition which incorrectly stated that the young mother suffering from leukemia requires a transplant. She does not. The Jewish Star regrets the error and wishes her a speedy recovery.

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