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10 years ago today we spent an amazing day hanging

10 years ago today we spent an amazing day hanging with friends in Florida little did I know that less then 24 hours later I would be rushed to the ER to start my fight against Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. As I reflect over the last 10 years I can’t express how grateful I am for friends, family and especially the S4S community for helping me and so many others! #swabsavesmile #S4S #smiles4shira

Although this year’s thanksgiving may look diffe

Although this year’s thanksgiving may look different we are thankful for all of you and wish you a happy and healthy Thanksgiving.

With Respect Honor and Gratitude, Thank You Vetera

With Respect Honor and Gratitude, Thank You Veterans!

S4S is so exited to share our newly updated websit

S4S is so exited to share our newly updated website. After almost a year of hard work @ryliekleinn ‘s vision has come true. Please enjoy and share! #Swab.Save.Smile. Link in bio: https://smiles4shira.org/

On March 17, 2013, Leah Apothaker volunteered to s

On March 17, 2013, Leah Apothaker volunteered to swab people’s cheeks at a donor drive for the Smiles4Shira network at the National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) conference in Washington, DC. At the end of the drive she decided to swab her own cheek and join the registry. Leah, 25, lost her cousin to Acute Myelogenous Leukemia, and always had a feeling she’d be called to donate someday – in fact she was so certain that she called Gift of Life to update her contact information when she moved from her native Columbus, Ohio to Mississippi to start her career as an itinerant Jewish educator. The call came on March 16, 2016, three years (minus a day) from the date she was swabbed. “It was a crazy time for me personally, I had an internship and was in the middle of applying for jobs and traveling a lot,” said Leah. With the support of Gift of Life’s donor coordination team, she was able to meet the schedule, which has to be timed perfectly for when the recipient is ready to receive the transplant. Leah’s recipient was a 40-year-old male with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia, the same cancer that had affected her family in the past. “I was really excited, it was a miracle of birth that I had this opportunity. My dad was with me during the collection. He got very emotional when he was watching me,” said Leah. “Our family having lost someone, and knowing that my recipient suffered from AML…it’s a pretty wild thing. It’s honestly the greatest gift anyone has ever given me!”Leah is absolutely willing to donate again if called upon, and emphasizes that the process is fast and easily done. “People think they have to take time out of their lives, but it’s such a small commitment that I don’t think it should scare anyone. It doesn’t look like much! As soon as I saw the courier get the little bag of stem cells, my job was over, it was up to my stem cells to go save a life.” She has been thinking about her recipient and recently learned that he is in remission and his health is continuing to improve. "I would love to meet him one day,” said Leah. “Hopefully this will bring recovery to him and his family/loved ones. I want the focus to be on his recovery. I’m a small part of this.”

What would you like others to know? How has #swabb

What would you like others to know? How has #swabbing affected you? Message us we can’t wait to hear! Swab.Save.Smile.

If you haven’t already done so... please sign up

If you haven’t already done so... please sign up for our virtual donor drive where after just answering a few simple questions a kit gets sent directly to your home! Check it out... https://dkmsgetinvolved.org/virtualDrive/5f036ed721e32e7ee8440ef8 everyone 18 to 60 ❤️ you could be someone’s hero! Swab.Save.Smile

Woo Hoo!! So happy to let everyone know another Sm

Woo Hoo!! So happy to let everyone know another Smiles4Shira donor has matched a 51 year old woman battling Acute Myelogenous Leukemia. You too can be a hero it’s as easy as a click away to join our virtual drive to become a donor. https://dkmsgetinvolved.org/virtualDrive/5f036ed721e32e7ee8440ef8 Swab.Save.Smile.

One of our friend’s, SLOANE needs her miracle ma

One of our friend’s, SLOANE needs her miracle match. Please sign up to be a donor you could be her Hero!! https://www.giftoflife.org/dc/SloaneStrong

Welcome to #swabtember S4S has started a virtual d

Welcome to #swabtember S4S has started a virtual donor drive where after just answering a few simple questions a kit gets sent directly to your home! Check it out... https://dkmsgetinvolved.org/virtualDrive/5f036ed721e32e7ee8440ef8 everyone 18 and over ❤️ you could be someone’s hero! Swab.Save.Smile

So happy to let everyone know that a @smiles4shira

So happy to let everyone know that a @smiles4shira friend has just matched a 35 year old woman battling Hodgkins Lymphoma. #keepswabbing Swab.Save.Smile.

Hi Smile friends! We are reaching out because we w

Hi Smile friends! We are reaching out because we want to hear from YOU! I’ve told you my story, now we want to hear yours. We are looking for our followers to share how Swabbing, Transplants or Smiles4Shira have touched your life. Please private email or message us a video or note with or without pictures at RylieSmiles4Shira@gmail.com . If you have a story of your journey that you want to share but do not want to share your name, don’t worry just say please let this be ANONYMOUS. Can’t wait to hear from you! XOXO Shira

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