And in another home many miles away, Aviva Speaks:
“It all started from an ad about campaign for Ezer Mizion’s Bone Marrow Donor Registry. My husband gave a sample at his Kollel.
Then the phone call came: “You’ve been found to be a match for a five-year-old girl,” said the voice on the other end. The transplant would be through a surgical process, with full anesthesia. Though most of the donations are done today by filtering the blood, a process called a stem cell donation, this case required surgery during which bone marrow would be removed from the donor. Surgery with full anesthesia. We were a little apprehensive of the procedure but at the same time, we were very happy to have the zechut (merit).
The donation is very urgent. The only information we had is that it was a five-year-old girl. That was more than enough for us.
The night before, we came to Ezer Mizion’s guest house. The staff embraced us warmly and took care of every detail, from taxis to meals. We felt they were doing above and beyond for something that appeared to us so self-understood – to do everything possible to save a life.
My husband was taken into the operating room at seven in the morning. For three grueling hours, I daavened (prayed). For my husband and for the unknown little girl., Our entire extended family daavened for us and for the little girl. We knew that this transplant was her last chance for life.
The next day, my husband already returned to routine at his Kollel. For a full year, we didn’t know what happened with the girl, but we didn’t stop davening. Precisely a year afterwards, the long awaited phone call came “The child is healthy! The transplant succeeded beyond expectations!” I cannot describe the joy we felt. It was as if we’d given birth to another daughter!
Two months ago, we met. It was an indescribable moment. The entire family — my parents-in-law and sisters-in-law — all wept with emotion. To see this little girl, sweeter than honey, standing before us, healthy and lively — was to see our prayers fulfilled. Hila is an amazing girl. No one can resist her charm. We felt a special connection to her. We learned that she had fought for her life for six and a half years. When Ezer Mizion approached us, she was in very serious, acute condition.
Baruch Hashem, the meeting of the families was natural and flowing. The children clicked immediately and played together.
Rav Yisrael Chazan:
“As soon as I’d been found to be a match, I felt tremendous excitement! To this day, I feel such gratitude for the privilege of being a partner in saving Hila’s life. I davened for her so much, and when I heard that she’d recovered, I was the happiest man on earth!
It also sharpened for me the great joy I should have in every seder limud ( segment of my learning in Yeshiva) I merit to learn, because it says in masechet Megillah (a tractate in the Talmud) that Talmud Torah is even greater than saving a life. From the huge and inconceivable happiness I feel from Hila’s recovery, I understand how I’m supposed to feel about my learning every day! Something to work on. A new goal.
The feeling I gained – of partnering in saving a life – is really very special. I thank Hashem from the bottom of my heart for granting me this privilege.
