A bone marrow transplant is her sole chance to survive. On January 21st Ezer Mizion held a drive throughout Israel to genetically test potential stem cell donors that might be her match and enable the stem cell transplant that would save her life.

It seemed as if all of Israel opened its doors in response to the call for help and poured into the 85 testing stations throughout the country. Jobs, university classes, household duties were put on hold as people streamed to the testing stations to save the life of a Jewish child.

By the end of the day, 62,300 caring and compassionate potential stem cell donors had been tested and crowds were still surging on the stations, with no end in sight. Hundreds of Ezer Mizion staff members and volunteers spent the day answering the ringing phones and an emergency request went out for additional nurses and phlebotomists to volunteer at the stations in drawing blood. Never in history has there been such a successful single-day drive.

Lines were long but, as one registrant noted, "We waited two hours and not one person complained. How can someone complain that his plans for the day are upset when a little child cannot even make plans. For her, there may not be a future."   

Upon their return home, registrants want to maintain their feelings of togetherness in their efforts to save Amit and hundreds of comments have appeared on the Hebrew website forum. Jews are united as one nation, one heart, one goal ...Amit shall live! One donation arrived from a cancer survivor who owes her life to Ezer Mizion. "I am donating to save Amit in honor of Mira who donated her bone marrow and saved my life eight years ago."

One Drop at a Time - a personal account

www.saveamit.com