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Blood cancer sufferer who caught world’s attention dies

Effort to find a donor was backed by Ellen DeGeneres and Kim Kardashian

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Adam Krief, who attracted global attention in his search for a bone marrow transplant, died on Tuesday in Los Angeles.

Mr Krief, who was 31, suffered from primary myelofibrosis, a rare form of blood cancer, for which he urgently needed a stem cell transplant.

The effort to find a donor, Hope 4 Adam, led to campaigns in Europe, Israel and Mexico, as well as the US. A donor who matched Mr Krief’s gene complex was found in December and seven other patients were matched with donors because of the campaign.

The movement gained celebrity backing with comedian Ellen DeGeneres, TV personality Kim Kardashian and actor Jason Biggs, asking fans to support the campaign.

However, this week a post on the Eretz Kabbalah Facebook page, said “after some complications, he is said to only have a few hours to live”.

His death was later announced and a message on the Hope 4 Adam page said: “To the man, the tzakik who touched the hearts and the lives of us all. Who united us…The family is touched by all the love and prayer their son has received from all over the world.”

Mr Krief is survived by his wife, Leah and three young children. 

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