Stem Cell Donation

The Riverdale Jewish Community Partnership (RJCP) is sharing an act of hesed (kindness) that we can perform to help a particular person in need. Nate Geller, a longtime Beth Sholom member and Jewish communal professional from Teaneck, New Jersey, is in need of a life-saving blood stem cell donation. In the midst of the pandemic, he was diagnosed with cancer, acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), and has since started treatment. While he is responding to the treatment, a bone marrow donation is the only cure.

How can you help? If you are between the ages of 18-44, you are the perfect candidate to be a blood stem cell donor, and it is free to do. If you are between the ages of 45-60, you can also join the registry but you will be asked to make a $100 donation to cover the cost of the test. All you need to do is click HERE, fill out the form, and Be The Match will send you a swab to return to them in the mail. You can also text “Hesed” to 61474 to register. This link and code will allow the Geller Family to track (anonymously) how many people register and send in a swab in honor of Nate.

The Geller Family is hoping to expand the donor registry as much as possible, and have also asked that this message be shared with as many people as possible. Not everyone can donate, but everyone can use their voice to spread the word.

The Geller Family is performing their own act of hesed in honor of those who donate. For every swab sent in to Be the Match using this link and the text code “Hesed” to 61474, the Geller Family will donate $5 to the Equal Justice Initiative. They will be doing this donation match for a maximum amount of up to $1,000.

You could have the ability to save someone's life, the ultimate mitzvah. You could be the match for Nate or someone else in need of a blood stem cell donation. We hope you will join the registry and share this message.