[October 31, 2017]

Long Island Woman Meets Lifesaving Donor at Gift of Life Marrow Registry 5k

After an international search of the bone marrow registry, a Long Island transplant recipient was able to avoid a risky lung procedure thanks to the kindness of a New Jersey stranger. On Sunday, October 29, the two were introduced for the first time at the Gift of Life Marrow Registry Steps for Life 5k held at Brookfield Place in New York City.

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Bone marrow recipient Florence Ivy met her lifesaving donor Harvey Pava at Gift of Life's Steps for Life 5k on October 29, 2017 in New York City. (Photo: Business Wire)

East Brunwick, N.J. resident Harvey Pava, 27, joined the marrow registry while a student at Yeshiva University in New York City. When he got the call in 2015 that he was a match, the decision to donate his peripheral blood stem cells was a simple one.

"This is not an opportunity that everyone gets and I just feel blessed to have been in a position to help another in this way," said Pava. "I would do it again in a heartbeat and am waiting for the next call."

Florence Ivy, 42, of Mastic Beach, N.Y., suffered from debilitating chronic pulmonary ailments since childhood. Her doctor's decision to try a bone marrow transplant in an attempt to avoid a riskier lung transplant was a turning point in her treatment. Knowing that none of her family members were a close enough match, she was floored at how quickly Gift of Life was able to locate a match.

"I want to thank my donor for giving me many more years to live - things were looking grim for a while," said Ivy. "I hope others will join Gift of Life's bone marrow registry to save another person's life, or at the very least, changing someone else's life tremendously and extending it."

After the donor and recipient introduction, Gift of Life CEO and Founder Jay Feinberg and grand marshal Wendy Siegel, both leukemia survivors, started the 5k. CBRE, Inc. served as this year's Platinum Sponsor.

About Gift of Life

Gift of Life Marrow Registry is an international non-profit headquartered in Boca Raton, Fla. The organization, established in 1991, is dedicated to curing blood cancer through marrow and stem cell donation. To learn more, visit www.giftoflife.org.

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