Dear Team Idan,
More good news! We finally have a date for Idan’s bone marrow transplant. Our first appointment at Seattle Children’s Hospital is scheduled for September 24th. From there, we will have about 3 weeks of tests to confirm that Idan is well enough for transplant. Assuming all goes well, Idan will be admitted into the hospital around October 12th, receive about 5 days of chemotherapy, have a day of rest, and his bone marrow transplant will be on or about October 18th. For those of you who like numbers, 18 is “chai,” or life, in Hebrew. Idan will spend about 50 days in-patient, and another 50 days or so near the hospital before we can return to New York. We hope that his new immune system begins to grow and develop over the course of the next year.
The donor they have chosen is 23 years old, male, and healthy. He is a perfect match for Idan and even has his blood type. To save the life of a child is the greatest gift in the world. if you’re not registered as a donor in the national bone marrow registry, it is as easy as a cheek swab (see www.giftoflife.org for more details).
Over the course of the next week, we will be preparing to leave everything and everyone behind for six months in the hopes that we will return with a fully-cured little boy. Since we announced that we were going to Seattle, we’ve received dozens of emails and messages from complete strangers offering their support, their friendship, and even their homes, and it makes all the difference. Incredibly, we’ve received donations from over1,400 people through our fundraising site, allowing us to reach nearly 75% of our goal. We feel stronger than ever, and could not have gotten to this point without all of you.
For those interested in more frequent updates during the transplant, follow us on Facebook, visit our new blog (which we’re still working out the kinks…) atwww.idanmyhero.com, and join the Idan-Do Mohawk Campaign!
Thank you all for your support!
Love,
Amanda, Akiva, & Idan
May the blessings of the new year be bestowed on you and Idan and your family and all who
support you in helping Idan back to health and vigor.
Im so happy tha thus young man is a perfect match and that you have reached 75%of your goal! I truly beleive you will tell an amazing story of strenght and Idan will bring joy and so much hope thru a success story to others fighting this illness for years to come.