Dafi Kramer, Rosh Tzurim.
Donor number 1346.
I am known for my fondness for running, and this story (of course not) is also related to this hobby of mine.
During the last ten years I have been participating in ten km races and half marathons. In one of the races about a year and a half ago, I saw several runners with a shirt on the back of which was emblazoned with the inscription “One kidney, but before you”. The story before you will illustrate the power of a good slogan.
Since until then I was not so exposed to the matter of kidney donations, I searched a bit about it on the Internet and the search results revealed that it was a group of runners of the “Gift of Life” organization. I thought to myself if people are able to go back and run long runs, and even half marathons, then why not contribute my part? And so, after reading on the Internet and some conversations with friends, I decided to enter the process of donating a kidney. I really wanted this altruistic move to be for my 50th birthday.
The donor who matched me was Ehav, a 27-year-old Bedouin guy from Harhat. When I filled out the initial forms I wrote that I would be happy to donate regardless of religion, race or gender. I felt that deciding life and death was not my job.
These days the public atmosphere seems to us to be full of venom, but I have met so many good people in the process who do their work sacredly and do not involve politics in their work.
Today, almost eight weeks after the operation, I feel very good. I went back to work, which was very, very encouraging throughout the process. I still haven’t returned to my long runs (the physiotherapist told me to work on only one muscle at this stage – my endurance muscle, so I holding back and not going out for a run yet…) but I came back to myself.