Since legally direct contact between donor and recipient cannot take place for one year , the following letter was sent to Ezer Mizion by the recipient to be given to the stem cell donor anonymously.
Dear and esteemed donor,
How do you begin to write a thank you letter for such a noble deed?
How do you sum up in mere words such tremendous appreciation and endless gratitude?
How do you take all of the burgeoning feelings and emotions and fold them into a page, constrained between the lines?
We are forever grateful to you for your nobility of soul and goodness of heart, for your willingness to step out of your comfort zone, see the next person, take action, and do a marvelous deed that is larger than life — save a life! Yes, save a life!
We thank you for giving our family the opportunity to b’ezrat Hashem (with G-d’s help) get a new wife, mother, and grandmother!
It all fell on us one not-so-fine day. From a healthy woman, living a regular routine life, active, full of day to day tasks of home-family-work — in short, the life of a mother… Suddenly, our world turned black. We entered a cycle of tests, doctors, hospital, blood transfusions… a new, draining, and exhausting schedule. And, worst of all were the uncertainties, tension and anxiety, and the dread every day of what the future might bring.
We tried to grasp onto every glint of light, every piece of information, though we were walking in a thick fog and all that was hidden and unknown exceeded all that we saw and knew.
When the doctor said that the only thing that could save her was a stem cell transplant, it was simply a black hole. Shock, fear of the unknown. We were helpless. When would a matching donor be found? And everything just got worse after no suitable donor was found within our family. We wondered: Would a donor be found in time?
We’ll never forget the call informing us that a donor had been found. The great excitement, the hope, and the joy cannot be described in words. Tears of emotion flooded us.
Only afterwards, when we started breathing again, did we stop and think more deeply into it. We suddenly grasped that behind this donation is a person who stopped in his tracks, halted his daily routine, and thought of us. Thought that there are people who are battling illness. And acted. Because a lot of people think and feel, but not all of them get up and act. A lifesaving act, that saves an entire family!
Our Sages said in the Talmud: “One who saves a single life, it is considered as if he saved an entire world. How fortunate you are – you merited this!!!
With our whole hearts, we wish to you that you should always be on the giving end and you should be repaid from above doubly. May you know only robust health, a long, good life, blessing and success in all of your endeavors, happiness, nachat, and joy all of your days!
Thrilled, grateful, and appreciative,
The entire family
