Families of Fallen Israeli Soldiers Embrace Hope with Sperm Extraction
Prof Shir Daphna-Tekoah, a medical social worker at Kaplan Hospital in Israel, offers new hope to families of Israelis killed in war through sperm extraction With expertise in trauma, she spearheads a groundbreaking and lengthy process, pushing the envelope in the field (348 characters)
Prof. Shir Daphna-Tekoah, a medical social worker at Kaplan Hospital in Israel, is accustomed to dealing with trauma. However, when she was called in to work on October 7, the day of the Hamas attack on Israeli farms, villages, and a music festival, the magnitude of the disaster became immediately clear.
Daphna-Tekoah recounted to CNN over the phone that while she had witnessed numerous deaths from accidents or shootings, her work in handling sexual assault cases at the hospital's crisis center was the most difficult experience of her life. As the reports of sexual assaults surfaced, she was called in to assist, and soon found herself managing the influx of injured individuals in the emergency room.
"I witnessed the terror in their expressions," Daphna-Tekoah recounted. "In their eyes, I could tell that they had witnessed something unimaginable."
The situation only deteriorated from there. "Then I came across the lifeless bodies of young people dressed for a festive occasion," she continued. "They were barely 23 or 24, the same age as my own children."
Daphna-Tekoah was tasked with providing support to the families bidding farewell to their murdered loved ones. When speaking with one family, she recalled, "I asked if they would like to express gratitude to their child or seek forgiveness for anything. The mother responded, 'I'm so sorry I let you go to the party and that I didn't protect you.'"
Then, Daphna-Tekoah posed another question. "I asked Would you like me to find out about sperm preservation?"
Medical social worker Shir Daphna-Tekoah suggested the idea of sperm extraction to bereaved families on October 7.
Shir Daphna-Tekoah
Daphna-Tekoah was at a loss for words as she tried to describe what she had witnessed. She knew little about the process, except for the urgency of the situation. "Before, all I could see in the mother's eyes was agony and darkness, but suddenly there was a glimmer of light and hope."
Daphna-Tekoah wasted no time in approaching hospital management. With the necessary legal sign-off secured just hours later, the sperm of several victims from the Nova festival was retrieved by the following morning. Now, over seven weeks later, Israeli hospitals are overwhelmed with requests to cryogenically freeze the sperm of those killed in the conflict, according to hospital officials.
The Ministry of Health has recently eased restrictions on posthumous sperm retrieval (PSR). Hospitals have been instructed to approve requests from the deceased's parents without having to go through the family court, as long as other relatives do not object.
Sperm can survive briefly after death, allowing doctors, typically fertility or urology specialists, to extract it from testicular tissue. If live sperm cells are found, they are preserved by being frozen in liquid nitrogen. Dr. Noga Fuchs Weizman, the medical director of the sperm bank and male infertility unit at Tel Aviv's Ichilov Hospital, reported an increasing number of requests from grieving families.
She informed CNN in a video call that there has been a significant increase in demand for the service, with dozens of families utilizing it since October 7. Dr. Shimi Barda, the laboratory director of the unit, stated that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) proactively offer the option to families when informing them of their loss.
Doctors Noga Fuchs Weizman (L) Shimi Barda (R) have been involved with the procedures at Tel Aviv's Ichilov Hospital.
Noga Fuchs Weizman/Shimi Barda
Soon after the October 7 attacks, the case of Israeli singer Shaylee Atary, whose husband was killed trying to protect their baby in Kibbutz Kfar Aza, made headlines.
The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Atary "made every effort to retrieve his sperm" with the goal of expanding their family in the future. Despite being unsuccessful, her experience helped to raise awareness.
The Ministry of Health oversees the sperm retrieval initiative and assigns cases to four different hospitals.
It is crucial to time the detection of live sperm within the first 24 hours after death, according to Barda. Although the timeframe is limited to 72 hours, both literature and our own experience indicate that the maximum window is actually 44 to 45 hours.
The manner of death is also important.
"It depends on the state of the body, how it was kept and how severe the injuries were," said Barda.
"We communicate directly with families," Fuchs Weizman stated. "We inform them about what we have successfully preserved, and touch briefly on the process for future consideration."
Barda emphasized, "It's a highly emotional and challenging experience, but we aim to provide them with a glimmer of hope."
Its a long process
Irit Oren Gunders, the creator of Or Lamishpachot (Light to the Families), a non-profit organization that provides assistance to families of fallen soldiers. She has been a strong advocate for parents to have access to PSR.
"We need to inspire hope and revive their spirits, and only grandchildren have the power to do so. It's not that they want a baby in place of their son - it's the grandchild," she explained to CNN over the phone.
Irit Rosenblum, an innovative lawyer and the creator of New Family, an organization that fights for family rights, is also collaborating with grieving parents.
Lawyer Irit Rosenblum has helped bring about the births of more than 100 children.
In 2007, Irit Rosenblum made legal history with a landmark case involving a woman whose son was killed in Gaza. The client, she mentioned, became the first parent in Israel and one of the first in the world to win the right to have her son's sperm extracted. However, it took more than ten years for her to become a grandmother.
According to Rosenblum, PSR is the easy part. "It's a lengthy process," she stated in a phone interview with CNN. "We've recently had about 40 extraction requests that were easy to approve, but the next challenge is finding women to use the sperm."
Rosenblum claims to have played a key role in the birth of over 100 children. She has been a staunch advocate for biological wills, which offer clear guidance after death. Following the Hamas attacks, she has streamlined the process for completing a biological will online, making it quick and simple.
"I may not be religious, but the Israeli society places a strong emphasis on family and continuity," she explained.
"When someone is mourning, they have lost their sense of purpose - the only way to bring back meaning to their lives is through the continuation of the person they lost. It is not ethical to deny this, especially when we have the means to do so."
Yulia and Vlad Poznianski, whose son Baruch passed away from cancer at 25, have been supported by Rosenblum. Even after fifteen years, Yulia still struggles to discuss the loss of Baruch. Instead, she looks ahead to the future and her 7-year-old granddaughter, Shira.
"We made new life," said Yulia, of their collaboration with Liat Malka, a single woman who had Shira using their sons sperm.
Baruch Pozniansky (left) died in 2008. Today, his memory lives on in his 7-year-old daughter, Shira (right).
Yulia Pozniansky/Liat Malka
Yulia expressed gratitude towards Malka, emphasizing that they also appreciate her. She also mentioned that they are very involved grandparents. Additionally, Yulia described Shira as a remarkable child, noting her striking resemblance to her father.
"Yulia emphasized that the young woman is mature enough to comprehend the situation. It's not uncommon for children to have lost their fathers, especially in the current circumstances," she said.
Yulia stressed the importance of informing soldiers about their choices before being deployed into conflict. "They need to be aware that they have the option to designate their biological will to a different guardian, whether it be a parent or a spouse."
Israel pushing the envelope
According to Gil Siegal, head of the Center for Health Law and Bioethics at Kiryat Ono College in Israel and faculty at the University of Virginia Law School, Israel's leadership in reproductive medicine is no coincidence.
The intersection of advanced medical technology and deeply ingrained cultural, religious, and existential beliefs in reproduction has led to the world's highest per capita number of IVF clinics and the highest number of IVF cycles for women.
"This is a new development and Israel is really pushing the boundaries," he said. "We have the scientific knowledge and expertise, as well as the motivation from religion, culture, and history."
However, he emphasized the importance of considering ethical implications.
"When faced with such a devastating loss, people often seek any kind of relief from their never-ending sorrow and pain - but this is not the approach we should take when creating policies."
He supports the idea of allowing grieving parents to access PSR, "but then stops short."
"We have the luxury of time to discuss and contemplate the ramifications of intentional orphanhood, as requested by the deceased's parents," he explained. "This refers to a situation where a child is deliberately conceived in the wake of tragedy as a way to honor the fallen soldier."
Daphna-Tekoah believes that in light of the Hamas attack, it is evident that individuals should have the right to donate sperm, just as they have the right to donate organs after death. She argues that it is a matter of human rights and that advancements in technology make it possible.
"It was a catastrophe and we owe it to them."
