Life-saving donation
What began as a simple cheek swab at the IDF enlistment center turned into an extraordinary story of saving a life. Maya Ben Yitzhak, who moved to Israel from Chicago as a lone soldier, joined Ezer Mizion’s national bone marrow registry—and on her 23rd birthday, she got a phone call that would change her life, and the life of a woman she had never met.
Maya turned out to be a perfect match for Dr. Amy Rothenberg, a Jewish physician from Massachusetts who was battling leukemia and urgently needed a bone marrow transplant. Without knowing who the recipient was, Maya immediately agreed to donate. After completing the donation process in Israel, the bone marrow was rushed to the United States. Dr. Rothenberg underwent the transplant in Boston, which was successful—and she recovered fully.
Watch the emotional embrace:
“To say yes without knowing who it’s for—that’s incredible”
Once she had recovered, Dr. Rothenberg knew she had to meet the woman who had saved her life. About a year after the transplant, she traveled to Israel especially for that purpose, and the two women met for the first time at Ezer Mizion’s Oranit House in Petah Tikvah.
“On my birthday, a year and a half ago, I got the message that I was a match—and everything went completely smoothly from there,” says Maya. “I had the privilege of getting to know Amy—she’ll tell you herself that we have an amazing connection. Being part of this is life-changing. It’s the greatest birthday gift I could have asked for.”
A powerful encounter
Dr. Rothenberg shares: “I was stunned when the doctor told me my match was in Israel. I thank Maya every single day. We talk often—I thank her and tell her how deeply grateful I am. Before I met my donor, I imagined how much generosity and energy it must take to agree to donate. To help someone from another part of the world, to save a life, without even knowing who it’s for—and still say yes—that’s incredible.”
