Posted to General on
Orange County Registar

DONOR AND RECIPIENT: Yosef Eliezrie, recipient, left, and Moshe Price, donor, met the day before this photo was taken at Children's Hospital of Orange County. One day later they were acting like brothers in the hallway just outside the ward where Yosef was in isolation before receiving the life-saving bone marrow transplant. (Photo by: Daniel A. Anderson)

Yosef Eliezrie, 21, knew he wouldn't survive leukemia without a perfect match.

A year and a half ago, a precious container of bone marrow arrived at Children's Hospital of Orange County from an anonymous donor and Eliezrie underwent a transplant.

More in the Extended Article!

Cancer Patient Meets Marrow Donor from Israel

Orange County Registar

DONOR AND RECIPIENT: Yosef Eliezrie, recipient, left, and Moshe Price, donor, met the day before this photo was taken at Children’s Hospital of Orange County. One day later they were acting like brothers in the hallway just outside the ward where Yosef was in isolation before receiving the life-saving bone marrow transplant. (Photo by: Daniel A. Anderson)

Yosef Eliezrie, 21, knew he wouldn’t survive leukemia without a perfect match.

A year and a half ago, a precious container of bone marrow arrived at Children’s Hospital of Orange County from an anonymous donor and Eliezrie underwent a transplant.

More in the Extended Article!

Today, Eliezrie returned to the hospital, this time in good health and with a new friend – Moshe Price, his bone marrow donor all the way from Israel.

Eliezrie of Yorba Linda and Moshe of Jerusalem discovered they had much in common when they spoke by telephone after waiting the required one year to communicate.

Both are Orthodox Jews and study the Torah as full-time students. They are only a couple of years apart in age.

“Not only are we a perfect physical match, we’re somewhat of a spiritual match,” Eliezrie said.

Price, 24, is visiting relatives in the United States and came to Orange County to meet Eliezrie and his family. He said he was eager to meet the recipient of his stem cells since the moment he gave them.

“I knew exactly what I did but to see with your eyes,” Price said. “Anyone out there that has any doubts about it, I tell them don’t worry, it’s the best feeling.”

Eliezrie had also waited a long time to finally offer a proper thank you.

“I don’t think you’ll ever understand the magnitude of what you’ve done,” he told Price. “My only chance of living was a transplant. You’ve provided me that chance.”

LIFE SAVING TREATMENT: Cancer survivor Yosef Eliezrie of Yorba Linda, left, received a life saving bone marrow transplant. One of his doctors, oncologist specialist Dr. Leonard Sender, is with him at CHOC for the celebratory event with invited media and hospital staff. (Photo by: Daniel A. Anderson)
JOY: Cancer survivor Yosef Eliezrie’s mother, Stella, right, and CHOC hospital staff react as they listen to donor Moshe Price speak in Orange. (Photo by: Daniel A. Anderson)
WITH GRATITUDE: Cancer survivor Yosef Eliezrie of Yorba Linda, center, received a life-saving bone marrow transplant. One of his doctors, oncologist specialist Dr. Leonard Sender, left, and donor Moshe Price are with him at CHOC for the celebratory event with invited media and hospital staff. (Photo by: Daniel A. Anderson)

Related Articles

19 Comments

  • Why not joine the donaer list

    I would like to encourage everyone who can to put themselves on the doner list. All it involves is swabbing the inside of your cheek with a cotton swab.
    If someone is a match and actually donates the bone marrow the procedure is much less invasive than it used to be. you can check out gift of life website for more information.
    Think about the corners of globe you travel to help another jew, this is an amazing opportunity that could possibly lead to saving a life.

  • shmuel

    wow, yosef i was with you in yeshiva and davened for you every day. i am thrilled to hear this good news. may you get stronger and go machayil el choyil!!

  • A Jew

    Wow, this is such a beautiful article! Its so nice to hear stories that are happy and that are a kiddush Hashem!

  • qkfngers

    Wonderful! This is proof that Tehilim does work. We’ve been saying Tehililm, and our kids at school, for Yosef. Boruch Hashem this has a happy ending.
    Rivka

  • Inspired

    mi kamcha yisroel… truly inspiring to see that a teen, in todays selfish world where most teens are only interested in their own needs, will act so selflessly to help a stranger – what an unbeleivable lesson for all of us – thank you Moshe for inspiring us all and may Yosef be blessed with health and happiness till 180 IY”H!

  • the perelstens

    saving one life is saving us all all my love and best wishes to both families and may we all take this as an example of how wonderful life is and giving to others can be hopefully we all take a lesson from this wonderful story

  • ashreinu

    as the previous comments have stated….this is a really amazing article and its so inspiring for each of us. Ashreinu that we are YIDDIN…always there for each other…may we be zochcie to the ultimate…. when all sick people will be healed by moshiach bikorov mamesh!!! amen!!!
    best wishes and all the brachos to yoseph!!

  • yosef

    To all those who found this story amazing.
    Please from the bottom of my heart SIGN UP to become a bone marrow donor.
    It is just a Harmless test and is very easy to do and you may be able to save someone’s life
    For more info Contact Gift Of life
    Toll Free: +1.800.9MARROW
    http://www.giftoflife.org
    Thanks

  • Esther

    I too donated stem cells over two years ago. I ended up saving the life of a 15 year old Israel girl. I too met her a year after the donation. I was on the bone marrow donor registry for over 13 years before they called me to tell me that I was a perfect match for a girl with leukemia. If a Jew can only help a Jew when it comes to these types of transplants – why aren’t all the Jews registred? My recipient is b”h 17 years old now and healthy and ejoying life. It’s the greatest gift for her and for me.

  • SHLOMO PRICE

    I AM MOISHE PRICE’S FATHER AND AM VERY PROUD OF MOISHE. OF COURSE WE ALL HAVE TO LEARN THE HASHGACHAS HASHEM THAT LED MOISHE TO GO GET THE BONE MARROW TEST IN THE FIRST PLACE.

    THE ELIEZRIES HAVE BEEN OVERFLOWING WITH GRATTITUDE TO OUR FAMILY FOR THE BONE MARROW. HOW MUCH MORE SO SHOULD WE BE OVERFLOWING WITH GRATITUDE TO HASHEM FOR EVERY BREATH OF LIFE.