On our end-of summer family vacation to San Francisco, my husband Michael and I were delighted to spend quality time with our adventurous West Coast cousins, we were enchanted by the snap-fresh organic produce at the Ferry Terminal Farmer's Market, and felt mesmerized by the gigantic Redwood trees at Muir Woods. It was an abundant blessing of family, food and forestry.

At its annual dinner Gift of Life brings bone marrow recipients to meet their donors for the first time. You know it’s going to be an emotional moment when you see tissue boxes on every table.

Lillian Baharestani, 27, wanted to be a donor. She was raised in Queens where her father taught her to always help others. So at Syracuse University she organized a drive for swabs for the Gift of Life registry. As it turned out, her own swab saved a life.