My uncle has recently been diagnosed with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML). His parents came from shtetlach that had been part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire: his mother from Mezokeresztes** and his father from Khust**.
AML is a very serious cancer whose treatment is via bone marrow transplant. There is a higher probability of finding a successful donor match among folks with common ancestry.
In addition to finding the names of our ancestors and in addition to finding out more about their lives, in addition to finding out more about their shtetlach, in addition to cleaning up their cemeteries & collecting the remaining pieces of matzavot (gravestones) from around the towns, in addition to putting up memorials to lost communities, we might also be able to offer folks - distant, distant as-yet-unknown relatives, right now! - the gift of life merely by doing the simple act of registering with a bone marrow registry.
If you have any ancestors from either of those towns or within a hundred mile radius and are willing to register, please go the gift of life webpage, here
http://www.giftoflife.org/dc/dr.-howard-marton-donor-circle/blog.aspx
** The towns are as follows:
(1) Mezokeresztes at 4759 2025, Hungary, some 78 miles NE from the capital city Budapest, at 4750 2924 near Mezőkövesd and Eger.
(2) Khust is located in the Trancarpathian of Western Ukraine. Prior to WWII town was located within the Czechoslovakian border, and was known as Chust, and prior to WWI town was with Austro-Hungarian Empire and was known as Huszt, Maramaros county in Hungarian. The geographical coordinates are: 4811 2318 (Khust, Ukraine)
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