About a month ago I started seeing Facebook and Instagram posts about Adam Krief, a 31-year-old father of three who needs a bone marrow transplant to survive. While I don’t know him personally, we are both from LA and had a few mutual friends publicizing his donor drive. Within a couple of weeks, people I know from different parts of my life, and all over the world, were posting about bone marrow drives, and urging everyone to get the word out.
Bone marrow type is inherited, similar to eye color, hair color and other genetic factors. Which means Adam is most likely to find a match from individuals originating from similar areas—in his case Jews of Moroccan, Mexican, French or Middle Eastern ancestry. Of course, his match can come from anywhere, and people can have international ancestry without being aware, making it vitally important for everyone to get tested.
Seventeen years ago my life changed drastically. My mother was diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukemia, with a bone marrow transplant her only chance of a cure. My family and I reached out to the bone marrow registries, and we all got tested, figuring one of us had to be her match. When we weren’t; we just kept searching the registries. Obviously, with so many people registered someone had to match her. Right? Wrong. Apparently, only 30 percent of people find a match within their own family. We had a crash course in bone marrow matches (or lack thereof, in our case), and embarked full steam ahead in our quest to find a match for our mother.
But then the most amazing thing happened. Friends started organizing drives and fundraising in their communities. We were incredibly touched by these actions. But it got better. Friends of friends, and even random strangers who heard of this mother of four with no match stepped up and started organizing drives in their communities, shuls and schools. Donations came from people we had never even met. And as desperate as my mother’s situation was, we were strengthened by the tremendous warmth and areyvut (togetherness) from both our own community and extended communities.
Now it’s time for everyone to come forward and get tested for Adam. It is easier than ever. When I was in college and running drives for my mother (“the olden days” as my kids refer to it), you needed an actual blood test to get tested for the registry. Now it’s a simple swab of the cheek, and all the information necessary is collected and stored.
In the United States, bone marrow testing is subsidized by the government. For Adam’s international drives, where he is most likely to find a match, they need to pay for the testing out of pocket, and are hoping to raise $2 million dollars, and have set it up as a nonprofit. Donate through Hope4Adam’s Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/donate/10104387940838215/.
Like those who organized a drive for my mother without ever having met her, Adam needs everyone to step up for him too, as he is running out of time to find a match. Share his story, attend a drive, forward the information to people in the communities who might be willing to host drives, or donate money to keep the testing kits moving along. Whatever you do to help, even if it’s just to share this article, please do what you can to help him find his match.
Donors need to be in general good health, and aged 18–45, though they stay in the registry until 61. Anyone can donate to help fund more testing, and everyone is encouraged to pass along the information and get the word out about Adam. Find a bone marrow drive in your area by checking out www.facebook.com/Hope4Adam/. You can also follow his progress on Instagram @Hope4Adam, and see his amazing fighting spirit during this process. Please help spread the word in any way you can. The Jewish Link has changed lives before, so let’s do this together. Let’s help Adam and his family find the match.
By Jenny Gans
