The Gift of Life Foundation will come to Binghamton University next week, giving the Jewish community the opportunity to save a life through bone marrow transplants.

Hosted through BU’s Chabad, Hillel and other groups on campus, the foundation will be holding a bone marrow drive next week, in which they will collect cheek swab tests. They can then sort through the DNA extracted from these tests to search for a match for a bone marrow transplant for Alan, a 49-year-old Jewish philanthropist.

The drive will be held on Monday and Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the New University Union and in front of Lecture Hall 1. It will also be held on Tuesday at the same time in the Old University Union lobby.

According to a press release from Gift of Life, Alan was “recently diagnosed with leukemia and is in urgent need of a bone marrow transplant to survive.”

Tobey Lass, senior human development and Judaic studies double major and president of Chabad, said the group had been contacted Wednesday night by a Binghamton alumnus who has a connection to Alan, a married New York City resident with twin daughters.

“He is sick with a terminal disease and his friends and family banded together,” Lass said. “He’s done so much for everyone else, it’s time for the Jewish community to help him.”

According to Lass, the results of each cheek swab test is entered into a permanent, international database.

However, matches are difficult to find for patients, as the genetics needed must be similar to be compatible with the recipient’s immune system.

“There are numerous genetic similarities between Jews, so its easier to find matches,” said Shmuel Bushwick, chair of the Chabad Mitzvah Core.

Chabad and Hillel have held a number of bone marrow drives in the past, but because this drive is specifically directed toward the needs of Alan, this drive will only be available to those of Jewish descent.

“If you are a match based on the cheek swab, you go into another round of tests with blood tests, so you may still not be compatible,” said Lass. “Every person may not be a match for him, but may be a match for someone else … you are in it for life.”

Once a complete match is made, the volunteer will be informed of their compatibility and asked if they are still interested in participating in a transplant.

Lass, who took the test in high school, stated that from people she had spoken with, the transplant is not as painful as people may think.

“No matter what physical pain I could be in, this is someone’s life that we’re talking about,” she said. “To save an entire family from grieving, I would do whatever I can …”

Though she is the president of Chabad, Lass stressed the importance that this drive not be limited to the organization’s own members.

“This is an event for the entire Jewish community,” Lass said. “It’s the most tangible thing you could do to help out another person.”