health & wellness » Gift Of Life Former Detroiter’s bone marrow helps save life of Israeli woman. F Need Orthopedic Care? Come to St. Joe's Shannon Striebich President W hether you've overdone it at your Sunday morning pickup game, exercised a little too much, broken a hip or have arthritic knees, you can count on St. Joseph Mercy Oakland's cutting-edge orthopedic program to restore your quality of life. 2XU ERDUGFHUWLÀHG DQG IHOORZVKLSWUDLQHG RUWKRSHGLF VXUJHRQV provide the highest quality care for everyone from infants to ROGHU DGXOWV 6W -RH V ZRUOGUHQRZQHG RUWKRSHGLF SK\VLFLDQV specialize in: ‡ ACL and meniscal injuries ‡ Cartilage replacement ‡ Joint replacement ‡ Rotator cuff repair ‡ Ankle and foot disorders ‡ Sprained ankles ‡ Spinal disorders and more We have been consistently recognized for excellence in orthopedic VXUJHU\DQGMRLQWUHSODFHPHQWDQGZH YHEHHQQDPHGD%OXH'LVWLQFWLRQ Center® IRU.QHHDQG+LS5HSODFHPHQWE\%OXH&URVVDQG%OXH6KLHOGRI 0LFKLJDQDQG%OXH&DUH1HWZRUN6W-RH VKDVUHSHDWHGO\ZRQWRSKRQRUV for patient safety and quality of care and is considered one of the best 100 hospitals in the country for orthopedics. Our patient satisfaction scores are in the top 10 percent in the nation. 6W-RH V-RLQW&DUH&HQWHUZDVWKHÀUVWLQ0LFKLJDQDQGDPRGHOIRU others across the country. The specialized joint replacement program EHQHÀWVIURPRXUVNLOOHGQXUVHVWKHUDSLVWVDQGKRPHFDUHWHDPPDNLQJ LWDOHDGHULQMRLQWUHSODFHPHQW2XURXWFRPHVDQGORZFRPSOLFDWLRQUDWHV are unmatched. :HZHUHWKHÀUVWLQ0LFKLJDQWRSHUIRUPWKHFXVWRPÀWNQHHSURFHGXUH resulting in reduced pain and blood loss, and faster recovery. Our H[SHULHQFHG PHGLFDO VWDII LQFOXGHV RUWKRSHGLF VXUJHRQV ZKR SHUIRUP trauma related procedures for hip, ankle, leg and arm injuries. And our H[FHSWLRQDOWHDPRIUHKDELOLWDWLRQWKHUDSLVWVZRUNZLWK\RXWRKHOS\RX regain your mobility. For more information, visit stjoesoakland.org. When \RXYLVLW6W-RH VIRUDQRUWKRSHGLFFRQFHUQ\RXZLOOUHFHLYHVDIHKLJK quality, compassionate care by the most skilled medical team around. ormer Detroiter Peter Schottenfels visited Israel for the first time in 2007 on a Birthright trip, never imagining he would later save the life of an Israeli woman suffering from cancer. While on Birthright, Schottenfels gave a cheek-swab DNA sam- ple to the bone marrow registry. Two years ago, the 30-year-old, who now lives in New York, was told by the U.S.-based Gift of Life organization that his DNA was a match for 58-year-old leukemia patient Eti Brazilai from Ramat Gan, near Tel Aviv. “When I first heard my bone marrow was a match for a donor, I was surprised and felt very fortunate,” Schottenfels said. “The donation was very simple. I just sat and watched a movie. It was painless, like giving blood. I would do it again with- out hesitation.” Recently, Schottenfels returned to Israel to meet Brazilai for the first time. “When I first signed up to go on a Birthright trip, I was looking forward to an experience that would connect me with Judaism, with our heritage — and to travel to Israel for the first time,” he said. The nonprofit Birthright sponsors free Peter Schottenfels and Eti Brazilai 10-day trips for young Jewish adults who have not previously visited the Jewish state, in a bid to strengthen their connec- tion with the country. “I never could have imagined I’d get to save a life, and also that my own life would change so dramatically,” Schottenfels said. “The entire experi- – Peter Schottenfels ence strengthened my identity as a Jew. I feel fortunate to have gained a new family and an unbreakable bond with the people of Israel.” Schottenfels grew up in Bloomfield Hills; he graduated from Andover High School and the University of Michigan. His fam- ily belongs to Temple Kol Ami, where his father is on the board. Schottenfels currently is press secretary at Airbnb in New York. Birthright’s collaboration with “Gift of Life” has so far matched up 180 donors with recipients. Brazilai said, “My life changed when I was diagnosed with acute leukemia, and I was reborn one year later when I received my bone marrow transplant. “I got a second chance at life and there are not many opportuni- ties like this during our lifetimes. I am grateful to Peter and the wonderful people of Gift of Life and Birthright who are doing a holy job.” “ I never could have imagined I’d get to save a life, and that my own life would change so dramatically. ” * — Times of Israel 2064350 54 November 24 • 2016