Boca Raton, FL – Transplant Survivor Inspires Weinbaum Yeshiva Students.

Boca Roton, FL – Jay Feinberg is a survivor. At 23, Feinberg has overcome leukemia, a nationwide search for a donor, and inspired many to give the gift of life.
Among the inspired are Weinbaum Yeshiva High School students in Boca Raton.

“I learned how important it is to step out and reach out and make yourself available to people who need your help and to save their lives,” said student Ilana Ben-Ezra.

The Boca teen was among many to be moved as Feinberg, a 13-year transplant survivor, told his tale of survival at the local school. He recently discussed his transformation from being diagnosed with leukemia to becoming the Founder and Executive Director of Gift of Life Bone Marrow Foundation, a donor recruitment organization which was started to find Feinberg a match but now has grown to over 120,000 donors on the registry and over 1,500 lives saved. Since tissue type is inherited, a patient’s best chance of finding a genetic match lies with donors of similar ethnicity. Gift of Life also strives to increase the representation of Jewish donors in the registry to overcome the devastating effects of the Holocaust.

The Gift of Life Bone Marrow Foundation began in 1991 as a grass-roots effort to find a genetically matched donor for Feinberg. When his brothers were not a suitable match to donate, an international campaign, Friends of Jay, was launched to find a stranger who could save his life. After four years, 60,000 donors were recruited, yielding matches for hundreds of patients in similar circumstances. A final donor drive was held, and the last volunteer tested, Becky Keller was a match for Feinberg. After his transplant and recovery, he transformed Friends of Jay into Gift of Life Bone Marrow Foundation.

When the news of the charitable organization spread to Boca Raton, Weinbaum Yeshiva High School student Avital Abir and Program Director Rabbi Joshua Spodek invited Feinberg to address the school. The main goal was to reinforce the values of Tikkun Olam, or repairing the world, according to the students. WYHS alumni, Avi Amsalem and Jennifer Hande, both blood stem cell donors, also spoke about the importance of donating.

After the speech, students applauded Feinberg for overcoming adversity and many pledged to become donors. “Everyone was very moved and inspired when they heard the very personal and touching story,” said Ben-Ezra. “It showed us that we can change the world and help one life at a time.” [bocarotonnews]