General information

IDF service - Sorry, under investigation.

* I Hope this information will help you and other visitors of this site:
Regarding military service- the IDF does not draft patients on Imuran (Azathioprine) due to its side-effects, but it is happy to volunteer them. I was the first soldier in the IDF to volunteer while on Imuran (as for Behcet's in general I have not been told), and served as premedic in combat (airforce). The difference between being drafted and volunteering is that a volunteer cannot sue the IDF in case of a flare or physical damage as a result of the disease or drugs taken to combat it, but in case of all other illness or injury during one's service which are unrelated to the disease, the IDF is responsible, and in either case (a flare or injury) the IDF will provide its soldiers with the best care available. A volunteer does not go through basic-training (tironut) but a two-day "volunteers' seminar", at the end of which one is assigned according to one's abilities and disabilities. A volunteer is exempt from "reserves" ("miluim"). Girls serve for 18 months and boys for 24. Training as an officer is also possible, depending on one's health. The more one can do (the less "ptor"), the better chance of serving as any other soldier. Volunteers' rights are as any soldier's (salary, uniform, end-of-service bonus, job-prospects etc.). In short, it is worth while and very much recommended to volunteer to the IDF !!!
See you soon- Roimi Pninit, 1st Aid trainer, 21, Israel. 

Blood donations - According to Magen-David-Adom (August 2000), Behcet's patients cannot donate blood! This is because Behcet's is an autoimmune disease of unknown etiology (cause).

Information for the blind and visually impaired- the service is available by e-mail and in English only from an American volunteer and a Behcet patient, based on her personal experience. Please click here and state your request clearly.

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