A soldier fighting in Gaza has saved the life of a five-year-old girl battling leukaemia by donating his bone marrow.
The 21-year-old, named only as ‘A’, described the deed as an ‘honor’ and readily paused his duty for the procedure, after medics discovered he was a rare match.
Upon enlisting in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), recruits give samples, and their details are kept on file to search for potential donors.
When ‘A’ came up as a match, he was called in for tests and found to be compatible, delighting doctors.
‘A’ said: “We were just about to leave Gaza, and I was already on the truck taking us out. Suddenly, I got a call from the bone marrow coordinator at Hadassah…
“As soon as I left Gaza, the first call I made was to my father, and I told him about the call from Hadassah. At that moment, I didn’t fully understand the immense privilege, so he added his brother, who works in the healthcare system, to the call.
“They were both incredibly excited and explained to me in depth what it meant. They said it’s an amazing, life-saving act — a huge mitzvah. That’s when I realized the magnitude and said, ‘It’s an honor to do this.’”
It was several weeks after ‘A’ completed the tests that the extraction took place, due to medical complications of the recipient.
‘A’ went on to recall how he was plucked from the middle of army operations in Gaza, to give his donation instead: “I told my commander that I was a match for a bone marrow donation, and he was really happy and enthusiastic.
“Then, another call came from Hadassah. This time, the coordinators…tracked me down through my commander, since we were actively deployed, and told me it was time to come in for the procedure.
“Hadassah also contacted the battalion commander, who approved my release for such an important mission, and I arrived at Hadassah.”
‘A’ is from Kfar Tavor, Northern Israel, and is enlisted in the Golani reconnaissance unit of the IDF.
Describing his recovery journey, he commented: “I couldn’t be more fulfilled. The knowledge that I saved a life is echoing in my heart. I’ve had a constant smile on my face for days.” He added that he would love to meet the family if given the chance.
Image - TPS/Hadassah Spokesperson