William was born in the Ukraine in 1934. His mother was the director of an institution that worked with orphaned children. When the Jews began being deported, she became a focal point for saving children. William’s mother took responsibility for hundreds of children, placing them with Christian families and getting them out whenever possible. In this way she saved her son’s life as well. William recalls how she was meticulous in keeping lists so that after the war, as many children as possible could be reunited with their birth families. He vividly remembers the joy when they learned that the father of one child or the mother of another had survived!
William, who is now 84 years old, lives with his wife in an elder hostel. He came to Israel from the Ukraine 18 years ago and is one of Jerusalem’s elderly poor. William has no pension and suffers from several health issues that put a financial and physical strain on him. He is unable to eat many of his favorite foods due to missing teeth.
William heard about Smiles for Seniors, DVI’s new program that provides free dentures to Jerusalem’s poor elderly and Holocaust survivors, from the staff of the hostel where he lives and is now a patient at the clinic. With the help of his very upbeat wife, he maintains a positive attitude and looks forward to getting his new dentures and going back to eating the foods he loves!
Pictured L to R: Mrs. Krutzik, William, and Dr. Sarit Palmon, Director of the DVI Free Dentures Program
No matter the age, oral health is important. Together we can help William and others like him improve their overall health by improving their oral health. Please make your donation today to help seniors like William, who have been through so much, receive the important dental care they need. In its second year (2017-2018) Smiles for Seniors provided 114 patients, including 48 Holocaust survivors, free dentures. Help us do more in 2019!
Read more stories about DVI’s patients and dentist volunteers HERE.
Make your tax-deductible donation HERE!