In 2004, Alpha Epsilon Pi International Fraternity (AEPi), the world’s leading Jewish college fraternity, launched a partnership with the Gift of Life Marrow Registry to raise awareness among college students about the life-saving potential of blood stem-cell and marrow transplants. The program has resulted in more than 20,000 donors joining the registry and nearly 100 lives saved.
A campus-wide drive at the University of South Florida was the location of the 20,000th swab as a part of the partnership between AEPi and Gift of Life. Students staffed a table located outside of the campus student center and, over the course of the week, registered nearly 400 students.
“I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude and congratulations to AEPi for swabbing over 20,000 individuals and adding them to the registry—a remarkable achievement that brings hope to those in need of life-saving matches,” said Alexa Greenstein, president and founder of the University of South Florida Gift of Life Club. “During my three years at USF, the Psi Phi chapter has been unwavering in its support of our mission to swab to save lives. Together, we’ve hosted numerous events, and I am especially thankful for the dedication of Peter Rzepko, Chase Corbat and Jayden Salti, who have served as campus ambassadors, in helping us reach this incredible milestone.”
Kameron Basis, president of the AEPi chapter at the University of South Florida, said that he was proud to be a part of the fraternity “because our brothers commit to these kinds of programs to help our community.”
“It’s great that the 20,000th registrant came from here,” he continued. “We are a part of this huge AEPi network that has accomplished so much over the last 20 years. We have been able to help save lives. I know that our Brothers will be involved with Gift of Life for years, both on campus and when we graduate and move into different communities.”
“The value of tikkun olam, of healing the world, is at the forefront of AEPi’s mission to develop the future leaders of the Jewish community. While Jewish college students are facing unprecedented antisemitism and hate on their campuses, to see our young men working so hard to save lives is stirring,” said Rob Derdiger, CEO of AEPi. “Our 20-year partnership has helped save nearly 100 lives; at the same time, it has inspired so many others to live their lives to support others. Partnering with Gift of Life has been tremendous because of the results we have achieved together but also because of the lessons it has taught.”
A patient is diagnosed with blood cancer every three minutes, and the lifetime probability of receiving a stem cell or marrow transplant is just one in 200, indicating the need to increase the size of the donor pool.
“We are grateful for the incredible impact of our partnership with AEPi,” stated Jay Feinberg, founder and CEO of the Gift of Life Marrow Registry. “The enthusiasm and dedication by these young men in organizing swab drives across campuses nationwide have truly made a difference in the lives of blood-cancer patients, and we look forward to continuing this partnership to save even more lives in the years to come.”
