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Wave of Terror Marcus Foundation Makes Historic Grant to American Friends of MDA

A Leading Visit of AVIS – Italian Blood A Promise Kept After 26 Year Donors Organization and the Director of Piedmont Blood Services

MDA and France Deputy Speake Fund Cooperation MK Nurit Koren Visited the MDA

Did you know? The average national response time for an MDA ambulance and MICU is 8 minutes after the first call is received

Raising Awareness of Blood Pressure Teaching Refugees First Aid Week in Gilboa Region Wave of Terror Summary of Magen David Adom activities during the Wave of Terror Since the beginning of the Wave of Terror, September 13th 2015 until March 8th at 21:30, MDA teams provided medical lifesaving treatment to 372 victims, 34 of which have died and 338 were injured: 36 in severe condition, 8 in moderate to severe condition, 53 in moderate condition, 13 in mild to moderate condition, and 228 in mild condition. In addition, MDA teams have assisted more than 115 people, suffering from stress symptoms.

Photos: MDA Spokesmen 2 Marcus Foundation Makes Historic $25 Million Grant to American Friends of Magen David Adom to Build New National Blood Center for Israel

Amid an ongoing wave of terror in Israel, American The current building is also problematic in that it doesn’t Friends of Magen David Adom (AFMDA) has received meet Israel’s current codes for earthquake compliance, a $25 million gift from the Atlanta-based Marcus a challenge in a country that sits on two active seismic Foundation to help Magen David Adom (MDA) build fault lines, a real and imminent danger that’s been a critically needed new national blood center in Israel. overshadowed by the wars and terrorist attacks Israelis The historic grant is the largest-ever benefitting MDA, have had to endure. Israel’s 86-year old national ambulance, blood-services, The new blood center will be a safe, underground, and disaster-relief agency. The grant was announced and secure complex, complete with sophisticated at AFMDA’s annual Boca-Delray Community Event on ventilation systems in the event of chemical attacks, but March 31 at St. Andrews Country Club in Boca Raton, also housing state-of-the-art laboratories and blood- Fla. Billi and Bernie Marcus, the Foundation’s co- processing units. And as Israelis continue dealing with founders, were honored with the Humanitarian of the a deadly wave of terrorist stabbings, shootings, and Year award at the dinner. car-ramming in which 33 civilians have been killed The new building, to be named the Marcus National since mid-September, the need for a clean and reliable Blood Services Center, will be located in Ramla, blood supply has only been reinforced. in central Israel. The current blood center, in Tel “We are overwhelmingly indebted to The Marcus HaShomer and built in 1987 with funding from AFMDA, Foundation for their remarkable generosity in making is vulnerable to attack as rockets fired from Gaza the largest gift in AFMDA’s history,” said AFMDA CEO during Israel’s conflict with Hamas terrorists in 2014 David M. Frankel. “It speaks to MDA’s critical role in forced MDA to quickly move the country’s blood supply Israel as one of the country’s most important national and its blood-processing operations into subterranean organizations. But it also recognizes the leadership and bomb shelters. vision of the Marcus family, and other donors like them, The blood supply, which is most commonly used to who have taken meaningful action to help alleviate the treat accident victims and people undergoing surgery, daily threat faced by Israelis.” including soldiers from the Israeli Defense Forces, is MDA is Israel’s national ambulance, blood-services, seen as especially crucial to Israel, which has had and disaster-relief organization, whose mission is to to contend with intermittent periods of terrorism and save lives. MDA also operates Israel’s national blood multiple armed conflicts since its founding in 1948. supply, providing 97 percent of civilian blood and 100 And that, in particular, has made building a new blood percent of the blood for the IDF. While government- center a priority for national security for Israel. mandated to provide these essential services, MDA is The current facility also no longer accommodates not government-funded. Israel’s growing population, which has grown from 4.1 The new blood center capital campaign is the most million people in the late 1980s to 8.5 million, today. ambitious fundraising project in MDA history, with a Israel’s population is expected to reach 10 million by goal of raising $115 million for construction of the new 2030. Bernie and Bill Marcus receive blood center. With the Marcus Foundation gift AFMDA The Humanitarian award Billy marcus, Charles has now raised $72 million toward the goal of building Krauthammer and the new facility. Barnie Marcus “MDA ensures that the people of Israel have a secure blood supply — the blood they need, when they need it,” Mr. Marcus said. Photos: Corby Kaye

AFMDA'S Boca Delray Community Event

3 A Leading Visit of AVIS – Italian Blood Donors Organization and the Director of Piedmont Blood Services

Initiated by Mr. Sami Sisa – Chair of the MDA friend Society in Italy, this week a group of AVIS (Association of Voluntary Italian Blood Donors) leaders, headed by Mr. Giorgio Groppo, accompanied by the director of the blood bank in Piedmont – northern Italy visited MDA and Israel. The purpose of the visit was to create professional relationships between AVIS, MDA's Blood Services and the Piedmont blood bank, which will include cooperation in research, encouraging and developing blood donations and volunteering blood donors, and mutual assistance in time of need. Currently, Israeli organizations find it difficult to form professional cooperation with their European colleagues, and MDA sees the importance of this visit and its future potential. AVIS is a central and important blood donors organization that intensively strives to enlarge the number of active volunteer blood donors in Italy. At the Piedmont area alone they have 12,000 registered active volunteers. The highlight of the visit was the signing ceremony on a Declaration of Intent for mutual professional and humanitarian cooperation between AVIS and Magen David Adom's blood services. Magen David Adom sees the importance in developing the professional relationships with AVIS in Italy for the good health and wellbeing of the citizens in both countries. The visit's program: A reception by the Italian Ambassador to Israel, Mr. Francesco Maria Taló. A visit to the W. H. Bloomberg MDA Station blood donation room, and the regional dispatching center. A visit to MDA National Medical Dispatching Center in Kiryat Ono, learning about the operational and medical abilities and the modern technologies. The highlight of the visit was a professional meeting with Prof. Eilat Shinar – Director of MDA Blood Services including a visit to the laboratories. A fruitful dialogue took place with regards to encouraging and enhancing blood donations from volunteering blood donors, and the constant challenge of insuring the safely supply of blood and blood components, using modern technologies activated by the two blood banks. At the end of the visit, the Declaration of Intent was signed between AVIS and the Blood Services of Magen David Adom. Prof. Shinar: MDA blood services salute the Italian Friends of MDA for orchestrating this important visit with our professional colleagues. The subject of recruiting volunteer blood donors is of upmost importance in securing the safety and quality of the blood inventory worldwide. This agreement opens an opportunity for fruitful collaboration between Italy and Israel."

Photos: Yonatan Yagodovsky- International Department 4 A Promise Kept After 26 Year Plaque in memory of Leo Shubert z”l inside the ambulance It’s a story of true love that began before World War II and spanned over more than 50 years. On a sunny Sunday noon, the 28th of February 2016, Rosa, at 103 years of age, kept her promise to her beloved late husband Leo Shubert z"l – to donate a lifesaving ambulance to the people of Israel. Rosa and Leo began their life together in Ploiești Romania and made Aliyah in the late 1960's, at first living in Rishon LeZion and afterwards settling in Qiryat Haim. Leo, who was an expert in the field of oil refinement was forced to work under the Nazi occupation of Romania and suffered greatly. Upon coming to Israel with Rosa he returned to work in oil refinement at the refineries as an engineer until his passing in 1990. Before his passing Leo had left requested to use the money which he had saved for many years to purchase an ambulance for the people of Israel. 26 years after his passing Rosa, his beloved wife, fulfilled her promise and today the Ayalon 1407 lifesaving ambulance – operates out of the Rishon LeZion station serving the people of Ayalon Region. Rosa was visibly emotional and overjoyed when dedicating the ambulance with her close friends and family, finally having been able to make Leo's wish a reality. MDA representatives from the Fundraising and International Relations 1.Rosa with the ambulance department who were present at the special dedication thanked Rosa 2.Handing over of the keys for the extraordinary donation: "It is exciting to see the happiness and to the ambulance driver satisfaction that the ambulance has given Rosa, there is no doubt that Maher of the MDA Rishon there was a wonderful love between Rosa and Leo that is now perpetuated LeZion station 3.MDA representatives on an ambulance that will save many lives and help many people for years with Rosa and her sister to come. These days when MDA is called upon more than ever to assist Antoinette the people of Israel, a special gift such as an ambulance is astonishing."

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5 MDA and Israel France Fund Cooperation On Monday, February 22, a meeting was held at the offices of the MDA Friends in France between Israel Foundation representatives in France, headed by former minister Ms. Nicole Guedj, the MDA international Doctors unit and the Red Cross representatives in Paris to celebrate a unique collaboration between MDA Foundation.

France Israel Foundation encourages professional cooperation between French entities and Israeli entities, and therefore chose to adopt the project of the MDA international unit of which brings doctors from France for training and volunteering in Israel.

Red Cross representatives in Paris presented their activities during the recent terrorist attacks and expressed a desire to share knowledge with MDA as part of the joint project. President of the MDA Friends in France, Mr. Michel Ktorza welcomed the cooperation that will enable exchanges and knowledge sharing between Israel and France and thanked Mrs. Guedj for undertaking an important project that will help save lives in Israel and France.

6 Knesset Deputy Speaker MK Nurit Koren Visited the MDA National Dispatch

MK Nurit Koren, from the "" party, visited on Sunday, February 28th, the MDA National Dispatch Centre in Kiryat Ono. MK Nurit Koren met with the medics and paramedics and heard about the activities and the many calls arriving daily to the MDA 101 emergency line.

MDA Director General Eli Bin, presented a comprehensive overview on the activities of the organization and its budget, the development in recent years, the MDA Blood Services, the MDA centers equipped with advanced technologies which enable a rapid response of the 101 emergency lines, locating victims in cases where the location is unknown and more.

MK Nurit Koren expressed great interest in the MDA Medi-Cycle and the "Life Guardian" project that is gaining momentum in recent weeks.

At the end of the visit MK Koren received a First Aid kit from MDA's Director General Eli Bin.

MK Nurit Koren: "I was pleased to visit the MDA National Dispatch and to learn about the sacred work performed by employees and volunteers, following the promotion of a bill providing access to emergency centers by text messages that was initiated by me."

Photos: MDA Spokesmen

7 Raising Awareness of Blood Pressure Week in Gilboa Region In mid-February 2016 MDA youth volunteers from Gilboa region arrived to public locations where blood pressure measurements were carried out for the public along with training workshops that were conducted by the first aid youth leaders.The volunteers explained to the public the importance of monitoring blood pressure and warned of the dangers of hypertension and its treatment method.

Ortal Bellman, Gilboa MDA region volunteers' supervisor concluded the week: "Last week, the volunteers were very diligent in raising awareness and monitoring of blood pressure and also identified high blood pressures among the public and referred individuals for further medical treatment. It is important to increase the awareness about hypertension - this message is the same as saving lives, MDA youths are happy to serve the public in training & CPR workshops and measuring blood pressure. I am confident that we were able to deliver the important message of blood pressure, and early identification of unconsciousness - and their treatment. It is also important for me to thank the volunteers who took part in this important week "

8 Teaching Refugees First Aid

This week, 28 asylum seekers from Eritrea and Dr. Bruriah Adini from the Faculty of Health Sudan who are staying in the "Cholot" facility Sciences at Ben-Gurion: "This beautiful arrived at the MDA station in Beersheba for special encounter, contributes to everyone involved, first aid training. including of course those in refugees in the "Cholot" facility but also to anyone who stands in front of During the day, MDA instructors taught a course them, meeting them was incredibly enriching. I in basic first aid in 3 languages (Hebrew, English would love to expand their activities to allow those and Arabic), and showed the students how to in "Cholot" more exposure to the nice things in the identify unconsciousness and how to perform State of Israel ". basic resuscitation, ways to treat choking from a foreign body, treatments for injuries that require MDA senior volunteer medic Ahmed Abu Shah splints, applying a tourniquet, treatment of animal instructed the course: "I was very impressed injuries and burns, and received explanations by the seriousness of the students in the course. about diseases such as diabetes and more. They came without any basic knowledge in the field and it was a great feeling to give themthe This is the second training as part of the MDA's basic tools to save lives. It is exciting to see the humanitarian cooperation with Ben-Gurion desire of students to learn the material and their University Organization of Students on behalf of wish to instruct their friends. Students have told refugees and the Center for International Migration me about cases in which they felt helpless, and and integration CINI. now they believe they know what to do." Bolotz Aeyasu, a foreign national living in "Cholot," "right now I have the tools to deal with medical emergencies and I want to thank MDA for the guidance wholeheartedly."

Photos: MDA Spokesmen

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