For her 50th birthday, an Israeli mother of two named Idit Harel Segal chose a rather unorthodox gift: She decided to donate her kidney to a stranger.
Idit’s family was against the idea from the start. In fact, her father was so angry that he stopped speaking to her, and her husband and two adult children pleaded for her to reconsider, fearing for her safety.
But Idit, a kindergarten teacher who lives in northern Israel, was on a mission to ease some of the suffering that has raged in her area for generations. She believes change starts with one person making a selfless decision, and she feels passionately that saving a life is a great honor.
She forged on, and after nine months, she learned that she was a match for a 3-year-old Palestinian boy who lives in the Gaza Strip. Idit was taken aback as the child’s home has been locked in a territorial war with hers for years. The territories have fought four wars, and Idit has lost several family members to the conflict. Not only that, but Gazans aren’t even allowed to come to Israel.
“I told no one,” Idit said. “I told myself if the reaction to the kidney donation is so harsh, so obviously the fact that a Palestinian boy is getting it will make it even harsher.”
For humanitarian reasons, Israel does allow a few medical patients who need serious treatment to enter their borders, and the boy qualified – but there was a catch. The child’s father, who was not a match for him, was required to donate his own kidney to an Israeli. While this exchange method isn’t allowed in some places, the man was more than willing to do it to save his child’s life.
Meanwhile, Idit realized more than one person would benefit from her gift. Because of this reciprocity, another Israeli, a 25-year-old mother of two, will live on.
Idit wrote a letter to the child before their surgery, telling him that after the last 11-day war between their homes, she “threw away the anger and frustration and see only one thing. I see hope for peace and love.
And if there will be more like us, there won’t be anything to fight over.
The selfless mom was able to visit the boy and his family before their surgeries, and they plan to keep in touch. As for Idit’s family, when they found out her gift saved both a Palestinian and an Israeli life, they began to understand why it had been so important to her.
The night before Idit’s surgery, her father called with a tearful apology. She finally told him who was receiving her kidney, and after a moment of silence, he gave her the most beautiful reply we’ve heard.
“Well. He needs life also,” he said.
Truer words have seldom been spoken! Idit is being the change she wants to see in the world. She’s right – once we realize we’re all on the same team, the human team, what’s left to fight about?
Share this story to spread Idit’s powerful message of compassion and love.
Want to be happier in just 5 minutes a day? Sign up for Morning Smile and join over 455,000+ people who start each day with good news.