Barry Kaplan (left), Gregg Francis and Leora Lieberman
with Sami. They hope to find a matching bone marrow donor for Sami.
Photo provided by the Gift of Life Bone Marrow Foundation
By Linda Haase
Gregg Francis, Barry Kaplan and Leora Lieberman wrapped up their inaugural radio talk show with a sigh of relief. They’d made it through the hour without a single faux pas and — they fervently hoped — listeners had learned a thing or two about their nonprofit organization, the Gift of Life Bone Marrow Foundation.
Then they got the phone call. On the line was Holly, who heard their broadcast (The Gift of Life with Gregg, 4-5 p.m. Tuesdays on 1470 AM/WWNN) and desperately needed their help.
Her 6-year-old niece, Sami, has Fanconi anemia, a rare, inherited blood disorder that leads to bone marrow failure. Her best chance for a normal life? A bone marrow transplant.
Her family anxiously — and continuously — scans the international database of registered donors. So far, no match for the adorable little girl with a condition that affects one out of every 350,000 people.
But that daunting challenge doesn’t deter this Boca Raton-based registry that facilitates bone marrow and blood stem cell matches and transplants for patients with leukemia, lymphoma and other blood-related diseases.
They sent out an S.O.S. — Save Our Sami.
“We made a promise to her that we would do whatever we could to make sure she lives a fruitful life,” Francis, the foundation’s chief operating and financial officer, told listeners during a recent radio show.
He, Kaplan and Lieberman are in touch with Sami’s family regularly. They adore the spunky, tutu-wearing, chicken-farming South Florida resident and self-proclaimed princess.
“We’ve met Sami’s family, we’ve seen that smile, we’ve loved that energy. We’ve seen the worry in her parents’ eyes, we’ve seen the fear of what the future holds,” Lieberman wrote on the foundation’s website, www.giftoflife.org. “But we know what to do. We know how to help. It starts with us, it continues with you, and it ends in Sami living the long, fruitful life she deserves. There are moments in life when you can make a difference. Now is your chance. Now is that time.
“No match exists for Sami yet, but her match is out there, her lifesaving chance is waiting to be found. This is one of those moments when someone’s life is in our hands, when Sami’s life depends on our efforts, on your efforts.”
Want to help Sami — and thousands of others who need blood stem cell or bone marrow transplants? (Amazingly, one in 200 Americans will receive a transplant.) You can volunteer, become a donor or donate to the cause.
Donors, who need to be between 18 and 60, can get their cheek swabbed to see if they are a match for someone in need. These tests cost $60 each to process — and the non-profit foundation, which relies on donations for operating expenses — is grateful for any contribution for their life-saving mission (they have tests awaiting processing but need money for the lab fees).
The foundation says it has saved about 2,800 lives since 1999. But, that’s not nearly enough, Francis says. “Our mission is to find a match anytime. Anywhere. For anyone,” he emphasizes. “We save lives. Plain and simple. We’re here to give people a second chance.”
Those who work and volunteer at the foundation’s 11,000-square-foot Boca Raton headquarters are passionate about their cause. That carries over to their radio talk show, which was named the No. 1 show on 1470 AM/WWNN after only five weeks.
The interactive show — which began July 8 and can be heard from North Miami to central Orlando — features inspiring interviews with people who have had life-saving bone marrow transplants, donors, medical doctors, celebs who support the cause and listeners who call in to the station. Their stories will make you laugh. And cry.
“We want people to appreciate the life they have. And we want them to know there is an organization like this in their backyard and that we would love for them to come take a tour and see what we do,” explains Francis. “We’ve met a lot of people who are willing to save a perfect stranger’s life, a lot of very selfless people. It’s very gratifying.”
Kaplan, the foundation’s business development coordinator, says the radio show will also offer a chance to clear up “the big three” misconceptions about being a bone marrow transplant donor: that it is painful, that the bone marrow won’t regenerate and that there is a lengthy recovery period.
It’s a serious subject, but they plan to infuse humor and a bit of bantering. “We are trying to get out the message without being morose,” Kaplan says.
They want listeners to understand the gravity of the situation, but realize there is hope, there are second chances, and there’s a way to give others a most precious gift: the gift of life.
If You Go
Funtastic Family Festival, featuring bounce houses, balloon shows, magicians, jugglers, puppet shows, games and more. A fundraiser for the Gift of Life Bone Marrow Foundation.
When: 4-8 p.m. Sept. 6
Where: Fountains Center, 7000 W. Camino Real, Boca Raton.
Tickets: $10; children 2 and under free. Tickets can be purchased online or at the event (cash only at the event). Ticket price includes all activities. Food and beverages are available for an additional charge.
For information: call 561-982-2900, email events@giftoflife.org or visit www. giftoflife.org/tickets
To donate, visit www.giftoflife.org/dc/theshow.
For more information on Gift of Life Bone Marrow Foundation, call 800-962-7769.
To ask a question or comment during the radio talk show, call 888-565-1470.
Linda Haase is a freelance writer on a quest to learn — and share — all she can about how to get and stay healthy. You can reach her at lindawrite76s@gmail.com.
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