"20 Cancer Patients in Urgent Need of Bone Marrow Donations Amid War Challenges"

The exact data on the number of soldiers in Gaza is censored, but the available reports indicate a large number of fighters and combat supporters inside the region. While the entire nation prays for the success of the mission, there is an underrepresented portion of the population facing war's consequences less publicly known.

Ezer Mizion reveals that over 20 cancer patients are currently awaiting life-saving bone marrow donations. Medical professionals consider this an unprecedented situation not seen for many years. "We've tried to find a match within the family but couldn't achieve sufficient compatibility," shares a family member from the north whose father needs a transplant. "We pray that a suitable donor will be found soon. We earnestly ask everyone to come forward and donate a sample in hopes of saving my father's life."

(Photo: Yaakov Nahumi)

Ezer Mizion's national bone marrow registry is the largest Jewish database worldwide, containing over 1.2 million samples. Many samples come from soldiers who donate a DNA sample during their enlistment, linking them to potential recipients. The war directly reduced potential donor numbers, especially among IDF soldiers. Yeshiva students have stepped in to expand the database, donating bone marrow samples under the guidance of great rabbis, thus saving lives. Recently, yeshiva students have saved several critically ill patients’ lives. Currently, there are over 50 yeshivas with 16,000 students already in the registry.

How does it work? Dr. Bracha Zisser, director of the national bone marrow registry, explains: "Every healthy individual aged eighteen to forty can join the registry and, with His help, save lives. The process is simpler than the COVID-19 testing familiar to us, involving a swab test. In fact, it's easier than the COVID test since it's a saliva sample and not from the nose. The process includes: filling out a form and medical questionnaire, inserting the swab into the mouth, a gentle scrape of the cheek, and placing it in an envelope. Two minutes and you're in."

"A bone marrow test is costly," adds Rabbi Cholak. "Each lab swab test costs 180 shekels. If we multiply this by the tens of thousands expected to donate samples, it's a multi-million shekel expense. But the merit to save lives is priceless. I urge everyone to come forward, donate a bone marrow sample, and seize the opportunity to genuinely save a Jewish life."