Gerbi's name patch
Photo: Hillel Maeir/TPS
Yarden Gerbi auctions her Rio name patch to benefit children with cancer
The Olympic bronze medalist will donate the proceeds from the eBay auction to the Children's Oncology Department at Ichilov Hospital, after having donated to them in the past following a similar auction in 2013.
Israeli Olympic bronze medalist Yarden Gerbi has announced that she is auctioning the name patch she was wearing during her competition in Rio on August 9th to benefit the Children's Oncology Department at Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv. She has already donated to that ward in the past in a similar auction after winning the World Championship in 2013.
The former judo world champion in the 63 kilogram division has started an eBay auction which will continue for five days until August 29.
"The very fact that she is doing this, and for the second time, is a testament to her character," Rafi Agiv, Gerbi's agent told Tazpit Press Service (TPS). "I hope that she raises even more money this time."
(Photo: Hillel Maeir/TPS)
That hope was quickly realized when the highest bid was already at USD 10,100 (over NIS 38,000) after just three hours, compared to USD 3,800 raised in the previous auction.
"All profit from this auction will be used as a donation for buying important medical equipment. I hope that together we will manage to raise a significant amount of money that will make this name patch much more special and meaningful to our society," Gerbi wrote on the auction page.
The auction is open to people all around the world, and the highest bidder will receive the item, dedicated and signed by Gerbi. "If the winner of the back number is Israeli, I will gladly hand over the item personally," she wrote on her Facebook page.
"Three years ago, when I won the World Championship, I auctioned the special back number I was awarded with the title of world champion," added Gerbi in her Facebook post. "The winner was Tal Keidar, and together we managed to raise USD 3800, all of which was donated to the children's oncology ward of Ichilov hospital."
Gerbi wrote that she had visited the ward in person and toured it with Professor Jacob Bickels, head of the Oncological Orthopedics Department at the Sourasky Medical Center. "I met amazing kids who are heroes, doing their best to fight and keep high spirits," she wrote.
"I recently found out that Liran Or, a sweet and loving girl with whom I was in contact, had passed away," explained Gerbi. "That's the reason I decided to donate to the same ward. Please, share the link and spread the word about the auction. And most importantly, keep healthy."
Michael Zeff contributed to this article.
Article reprinted with permission from TPS.
