Saturday, April 21, 2007

Drive to attract Stem Cell and Bone Marrow Donors

Judah required two stem cell transplants during the course of his treatment. The first was using his own stem cells. He was in remission for almost six months after this treatment. His cancer reemerged and his only chance at survival was another stem cell transplant from a donor. The call went out to family and friends and over 250 people registered to be come donors if they matched. A match was found, not from our pool, but a young man, who still is anonymous. It was a match 0f 9 out our 12 criterea. It was the best available.

What Judah learned from this search for a match is the need to have as many people as possible listed on the National Bone Marrow and Stem Cell Data base. When a match is needed all the national and international data bases are computer searched. Yet, there are aproximately 5 million people listed as donors.

After Judah passed, we founded a non profit organization Project Judah, to encourage people to become registrants on the National Bone Marrow and Stem Cell data base.

Sunday , April 29th, at the Israel Festival at Woodley Park, in the Valley, Project Judah will, in conjunction with the City of Hope, run a drive. The festival is from early in the morning to 7 pm, The City of Hope staff will be on site from Noon to five pm. Look for the Project Judah booth. (Project Yehuda) The cost is $65.00 per person, however, we have a special arrangement with both the City of Hope and several financial donors to cover the cost for any one who needs it. City of Hope asks that any donation of any amount be made. Project Judah and our special donor will cover the remainder of the costs.

Please pass this information on to any one you know who might be interested. We also could use your help at the booth.

This is such an important project, that even Judah who was a most private guy, lent his name and story to the Jewish Journal in order to bring attention to the need to register more people.

This is the first of many drives we plan for the coming year.

If you want more information email to ivorytrust@aol.com, and David@Nemetzfamily.com

As always with much love and thanks,

Dave and Martha and Family

Wednesday, April 04, 2007

Passover 07

Passover, one of Judah's favorite holidays, in fact even his colleagues at Huntington Memorial Hospital at a memorial service for Judah, mentioned his love of the holidays, Udah took special joy in Passover, loved to search for the chometz, the unleavend bread the night before the holiday, went to services for the first born, and always wanted his friends to fill the table no matter how crowded, The two most memorable seders were the last two with him. He had undergone his second stem cell transplant and was no longer in strict isolation but was limited to what he could eat. Benji Alissa Grandpa and I brought a whole seder meal to the hospital. The nurse gave us the lounge and ten members of the staff joined us. Judah rallied his utmost strenght to get dressed and come to the Seder. Benji was prepared to lead it, but Judah sat right up and said I want to do this. He did, the staff was mesmerized by his explications and erudition. I was certain that the strength he showed would pull him thru. He gave me hope.

The other seder was the prior year. Seymour had passed away, Judah was in between treatments and he lead the Seder. At the conclusion of the seder, Judah said to every one "thank you for coming", the exact phrase Seymour had used the year before. I was in the kitchen and nearly dropped the plate in my hand. Judah knew.

This year, we held the Seder with familiar faces and new ones. Dave and Stacey were there, Jack Judah stayed with his grandparents, but Meri's Daniel (named for Judah's middle name) was here. So new shoots were spring up.

We dedicated the Seder to the memory of Judah, Seymour, with reverance and love to my mom, whose receipies we used, to my in laws and all the others who now populate my memory.

Chag Sameach,
Happy Holidays.