A Lakewood father of four will be donating his kidney to a South African man today, Renewal, the organization facilitating the procedure says.

Michael, a father of eight from South Africa, reached out to Renewal as he was struggling getting transplanted locally. A search began for a matching live donor. Today, that search and four and a half years on dialysis will finally come to an end.

Chaim Gershon, the donor, is a father of four learning in kollel in Lakewood.

“Despite his oldest child being only six years old, his wife has been extremely supportive throughout the process,” says Renewal. “His Rov and neighbors have taken a very active role in helping out while he recuperates. The joy in the donor’s eyes that he had from being the kidney donor, was as if he was marrying off a child. The donor’s only wish was that the surgery not be delayed and cause the recipient to suffer any longer.”

Adds Renewal, “B”H, kidney transplants have a great success rate. However, there needs to be Siyata Dishmaya in order to be successful. Please take a moment to say tehillim for the success of the surgeries. Donor: Chaim Gershon ben Morsa. Recipient: Moshe Michael ben Aila.”

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