The surgery was a success, and A. is currently waiting for medical clearance to return to his unit in Gaza.
By Lauren Marcus, The IDF Club
An IDF soldier received an unexpected phone call several months ago while serving in the Gaza Strip — a notification from a Jerusalem hospital that he had the opportunity to save the life of a fellow Israeli via bone marrow donation.
The soldier, identified in Hebrew-language media outlets by his first initial, A., was found to be a rare, genetic match for a person suffering from a serious illness.
Because A., a Golani Brigade soldier, had provided a sample of his saliva upon enlisting in the IDF, Hadassah Hospital was able to identify him as a potential bone marrow donor for a critically ill patient.
A coordinator from Hadassah Hospital explained to A. that he had the chance to save the ill person’s life, and A. jumped at the opportunity.
After being granted leave from the army, A., who is from the town of Kfar Tavor in northern Israel, traveled to Jerusalem to undergo extensive testing that would ensure his compatibility with the patient.
The tests confirmed that he was an excellent match, but due to the patient’s health deteriorating, the bone marrow transplant had to be delayed.
A. then returned to his unit in the Gaza Strip.
Several months later, his commander received a phone call stating that A. needed to leave the battlefield immediately and travel to Jerusalem for the procedure.
The surgery was a success, and A. is currently waiting for medical clearance to return to his unit in Gaza.
“There is no doubt about it. The knowledge that I saved a life is so powerful, I have a smile on my face that hasn’t gone away for several days,” A. told Mako.
“The team that accompanied me at Hadassah was amazing and provided information, always answered questions and did everything in a good spirit. I always felt that I was in good hands.”
