Mourning the loss of Rabbi Myer Schecter New surgical procedure

Sir Mortimer B. Davis
Jewish General Hospital
VOLUME 42, NO. 1
W W W. J G H . C A
SPRING 2006
Also inside:
Mourning the loss of Rabbi Myer Schecter
New surgical procedure for head-and-neck cancer patients
Coming soon: The second Weekend to End Breast Cancer
One new year …
two new milestones
ouble congratulations
are in order! As you’ve
seen on the cover, 2006
marks the 70th anniversary of
The Auxiliary, which was
launched in 1936, just 18
months after the Jewish
General Hospital opened its
doors. As well, this year is the
25th anniversary of JGH Hope
& Cope, which began offering
support and counselling to
cancer patients and their families in 1981.
At first, it might seem a little odd to pair these two organizations in
JGH News. After all, The Auxiliary traces its roots to the early 20th century, while Hope & Cope is fairly modern. The Auxiliary is best known
as a fund-raising group, with involvement in fall fairs, book sales and
bridge tournaments, while Hope & Cope focuses on providing direct
assistance to cancer patients.
But look a little closer, and you’ll find that these organizations actually
enjoy a shared heritage, a common sense of purpose and an identical
source of strength. First, Hope & Cope is indebted in large part to The
Auxiliary for its very existence. During its first eight years, Hope & Cope
was nurtured under The Auxiliary’s wing until it had the experience and
viability to stand on its own.
Second, a spirit of idealism and activism unites both organizations.
In the depths of the Depression, hundreds of determined and visionary
women banded together to form The Auxiliary to be certain that the JGH
and its patients would lack for nothing. It was their initiative as determined fund-raisers and as creators of essential programs—for example,
medical assistance for immigrants, preparation of surgical dressings,
and acquisition of medical texts—that enabled the hospital to deliver
excellent care so soon after it opened. Similarly, Hope & Cope’s founding
members realized that cancer patients required many supplementary
services beyond basic medical treatment. Stepping forward, they took it
upon themselves to establish the necessary support groups and educational resources.
Finally, The Auxiliary and Hope & Cope rely overwhelmingly on volunteers who give generously of their time and effort so that patients can
be secure in the knowledge that all of their medical, practical, emotional
and spiritual needs have been attended to. By sharing their compassion,
humour and warmth, volunteers establish person-to-person contact
that makes an enormous difference to patients, some of whom are
struggling through the darkest times of their lives.
So it is with enormous gratitude that we extend our best wishes to
The Auxiliary and Hope & Cope. We also invite everyone to attend the
events that these organizations will hold in 2006, and we suggest that
you strongly consider contributing your own talents to either or both
groups. Only through outstanding efforts such as these can the Jewish
General Hospital truly claim to offer the best possible Care for All.
JGH mourns the loss of its
“conscience and spirit”,
Rabbi Myer Schecter
D
James Alexander
President
2
SPRING 2006
Henri Elbaz
Executive Director
Care For All.
taff at the Jewish General Hospital, as well as friends, colleagues
and many current and former
patients, were shocked and saddened
on Dec. 13, 2005, by the sudden passing
of the hospital’s beloved chaplain,
Rabbi Myer Schecter, at the age of 76
after a courageous battle with cancer.
Rabbi Schecter was widely respected
as the JGH’s Director of Pastoral
Services and greatly admired for having
earned his PhD at the age of 72.
However, the feelings that he inspired
most often were affection for his unassuming and gentle demeanour, and
gratitude for the quiet wisdom and
boundless empathy that he lavished on
patients and their families during their
darkest hours.
In recognition of these outstanding
qualities and to mark 25 years of
dedicated service, Rabbi Schecter was
chosen to receive the first-ever JGH
Humanitarian Award just two months
before he died. In a ceremony at the
hospital’s Annual General Meeting on
Oct. 20, Executive Director Henri Elbaz
praised Rabbi Schecter as “the conscience and spirit of the Jewish General
Hospital” and “the guardian of the hospital’s Jewish heritage and its link to its
Jewish past.” Mr. Elbaz noted that
Rabbi Schecter also “extended the
warm hand of friendship to every
member of clergy and to patients and
visitors of all faiths.”
On learning of Rabbi Schecter’s
death, JGH President James Alexander
said the rabbi will be “sorely missed by
all”, yet fondly remembered for his
commitment, care and compassion.
“Most notably, he will be remembered
S
Continued… please turn to page 13.
Table of
Contents
On the cover
JGH NEWS
SPRING 2006
Happy Anniversary!
published by:
In 1936, The Auxiliary began raising funds
and providing crucial services and equipment
to enhance medical treatment and care.
And in 1981, JGH Hope & Cope started offering
essential counselling and support for cancer
patients and their families.
SIR MORTIMER B. DAVIS JEWISH GENERAL HOSPITAL
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS
AND COMMUNICATIONS
President:
James Alexander
Executive Director:
Henri Elbaz
H O P E & C O P E A N N I V E R S A RY S E C T I O N
Childhood tragedy evolves into triumph for Sheila Kussner . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
A quarter-century of counselling, education and support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
“They’re not just helping hands—they’re a blessing” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
A light of hope in the darkest hour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
A year of Hope & Cope celebrations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4
5
6
7
8
AU X I L I A RY A N N I V E R S A RY S E C T I O N
A timeless mission in a changing world . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A2
Job One: Support the medical departments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A3
A rich history of open hearts and helping hands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A4
Auxiliary inspires decades of dedication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A6
A cartful of care with a personal touch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A7
Soothing frazzled nerves in the Emergency Department . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A8
Crucial help at the touch of a button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A9
Demystifying medicine for high school students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A10
A hearty embrace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A11
Opening doors to fresh, new ideas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A12
Director of Public Affairs
& Communications:
Glenn J. Nashen
Editor:
Henry Mietkiewicz
Contributor:
Suzanne Gold
Administrative Assistant:
Marisa Rodi
Graphic design:
Christine Lalonde
Mark Lehberg
Translation:
Louise Trépanier
Photography:
JGH Audio-Visual Services,
Felipe Argaez, Karyn Dupuis,
Jean Marcotte
3755 Côte Ste-Catherine Road
Montreal, Quebec H3T 1E2
Also in this issue
Tel.: 514-340-8222
Fashion Fantasy helps Wellness Centre’s dreams come true . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Gearing up for another exciting Weekend to End Breast Cancer . . . . . . . . 10
Rabbi Schecter: The JGH was his congregation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Newsmakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Research is priority for new Physician-in-Chief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
New surgical procedure eases anguish of losing salivary glands to cancer . 17
Attention, class: JGH Mini-Med School is back in session . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Boosting speed and accuracy of cancer diagnoses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Auxiliary News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Honouring the JGH’s brighest and best . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
The Foundation Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Au service de tous.
www.jgh.ca
A McGill University
Teaching Hospital
JGH NEWS
3
Childhood tragedy evolves into
Hope & Cope triumph for Sheila Kussner
he news that shattered Sheila Kussner’s idyllic childhood
came at the age of 14, as she relaxed with her mother,
Sophie Golden, in the back seat of the family car on a drive
through the countryside near Montreal in 1946.
T
“Mummy and I have something
to tell you,” said her father, Jack, his
eyes fixed on the road ahead. From
the tone of his voice, Sheila knew:
The results of the biopsy on her left
knee had come in and a diagnosis
had been made. It was cancer, her
mother said, and the only way to
save her life was to amputate her left
leg above the knee. “You have a
choice,” Mrs. Golden continued.
“Either you have your leg amputated
and we have a daughter, or you’re
going to die and we don’t have a them with what Hope & Cope
offers now—encouragement and
daughter.”
Stunned and angry, Sheila felt her advice. It was a potent formula that
mother’s words hit her like bullets. later also helped to save the life of
“The doctors are stupid!” she cried. her husband, Marvyn Kussner.
Today, Mrs. Kussner, 73, credits
“I don’t believe you!” Silently, Mrs.
Golden reached into her purse and her parents for providing her with
the model of patience,
withdrew telegrams from
“I’m just grateful
compassion, courage
six of the world’s top
and determination upon
bone specialists, all of
I was able to
which Hope & Cope is
whom had confirmed help make a
based. “They were
the diagnosis. “Think difference, and
absolutely wonderful,”
about it,” Mr. Golden
that so many
she says, “because they
said gently. “We have people have
refused to let me believe
only one daughter. Even
supported Hope
I was inferior. This was a
with only one leg, there’s
& Cope these
remarkable attitude for
a lot of life left in you and
past 25 years.”
the time, because in the
a lot you can do.”
A lot is exactly what
Sheila Kussner accomplished as the
eventual founder of the JGH Hope
& Cope program.
Sheila underwent the surgery
that not only saved her life, but
changed it profoundly. Several times
a year, doctors who were familiar
with her case asked her to visit
young cancer patients facing the
terrifying prospect of amputation.
With empathy and compassion born
of her experiences, Sheila reached
out to those young patients, giving
4
SPRING 2006
1940s people were uncomfortable even mentioning the
word ‘cancer’, let alone talking about
it. I still remember how some of the
kids at school wouldn’t share a
sandwich or a drink with me
because they were afraid they’d
catch the disease.”
Despite these obstacles, Sheila’s
parents encouraged her to live a full
life and to attend summer camp,
where she became a counselor and
met Marvyn Kussner. “My being an
amputee didn’t have the slightest
Care For All.
effect on the way he felt about me,”
Mrs. Kussner recalls. “In fact, he was
very adamant about it. I really don’t
think many couples have such a
strong relationship.”
Sheila went on to
McGill University,
where she earned a
BA in 1953. She and
Marvyn got married
and had two daughters, and through the
years, Sheila became
active in community
organizations where
she served in key
positions. But fate
intervened once again
in 1974, when Marvyn, at the age of
44, was diagnosed with a serious
form of lymphoma. Determined to
find out more about this disease,
Sheila was able to turn up only a
single outdated book stating that a
patient with this particular cancer
could expect to live no more than
three years.
“I was sure there had to be an
easier way to deal with cancer than
what we went through,” explains
Mrs. Kussner. “And I really wondered what was happening to people
who lacked the financial means or
the family support that I was fortunate enough to have.”
Convinced of the need for and
viability of a resource centre staffed
by trained volunteers who themselves had gone through the cancer
experience, Mrs. Kussner began
contacting medical professionals.
Initially, her idea met with skepticism by doctors who feared the volunteers would stray beyond their
mandate. However, she found a
receptive audience at the Jewish
General Hospital when Archie
Deskin, who was then Executive
Director, suggested she contact the
JGH Auxiliary. Phyllis Waxman,
A quarter-century of counselling,
education and support
November 1981
January 1989
JGH Hope & Cope, founded by Sheila
Kussner, is established in the Jewish
General Hospital’s Oncology Department
under the auspices of The Auxiliary.
Strong support by Auxiliary President
Phyllis Waxman eases the program’s
entry into the hospital system. Service
begins with one full-time social worker
and 10 volunteers, plus consultation and
direction from Huguette Batshaw of the
Department of Social Services. Seed
money of $25,000 is provided by The
Jewish Community Foundation of
Greater Montreal, while a $200,000
endowment from Marjorie and Gerald
Bronfman enables a full-time coordinator to be hired.
A fully mature Hope & Cope
becomes an independent
organization within the
JGH.
Mid-1990s
Hope & Cope founder Sheila Kussner (right) and
JGH Auxiliary President Phyllis Waxman (second
from left) meet in 1982 with Dr. Jimmie Holland
(second from right) of the Memorial SloanKettering Cancer Center and Dr. James Holland
of Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York.
With the encouragement of
Dr. Richard Margolese,
Chief of the Department of
Oncology, Hope & Cope
embarks on a research program that continues until
today. To date, research
results have appeared in
six articles in peer-reviewed
journals.
2001
Early 1980s
Hope & Cope receives the Hommage
Bénévolat-Québec from the province’s
Ministry of Employment and Social
Solidarity in recognition of the organization’s exceptional contribution
to the development and support of
volunteerism.
Hope & Cope begins receiving
valuable advice (continuing until
today) from Dr. Jimmie Holland,
Chair of Psychiatry at the Memorial
Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center,
on using cancer-experienced volunteers for peer support.
January 2006
1983
Allied Jewish Community Services
presents Hope & Cope with its
Community Service Award.
1986
Hope & Cope moves to
upgraded facilities in the
newly completed Segal
Cancer Centre. Services are
provided by three full-time
and four part-time staff
members, plus 250 volunteers.
↑ At its Cancer Answers event
in 1989, Hope & Cope provides
information to the public
through displays, workshops
and guest speakers.
Chaverot, the Friends of Hope & Hope & Cope volunteer Celia
Cope, is established by Frances Gordon helps paint a mural in
Isenberg and her colleagues to Radiotherapy in 1990. →
raise money for oncology-related
projects and equipment. It later becomes the major fund-raising arm
for Hope & Cope, with proceeds adding to the growth of the endowment and supporting special projects throughout the hospital.
President of The Auxiliary at the
time, embraced the idea and in
1981, JGH Hope & Cope was born.
In 1989, Hope & Cope was recognized as such an important adjunct
to the care provided by the JGH’s
Oncology Department that it
became an independent organization. It has since evolved into a
June 2006
Official opening of the JGH
Hope & Cope Wellness
Centre.
model for cancer centres and hospitals throughout the world.
“When we started, I never imagined our work would extend into
palliative care or that we would
open our own Wellness Centre,” says
Mrs. Kussner, who has served as
Chairman since the beginning.
“But the sad fact is, cancer seems to
be more prevalent than ever, and
there’s a growing need for what we
do.
“I’m just grateful I was able to
help make a difference, and that so
many people have supported Hope
& Cope these past 25 years. We are
looking forward to the next quartercentury, with exciting plans ahead.”
Au service de tous.
JGH NEWS
5
“They’re not just helping hands
—they’re a blessing”
trange as it may seem, there was a time (25 years ago, to be
precise) when the Hope & Cope concept—cancer patients
receiving support from volunteers in a self-help organization —provoked a certain amount of wariness.
S
dignity volunteers can bestow on a
patient just by listening. They’re
more than helping hands—they’re a
blessing.”
According to Program Director
The reaction is underSuzanne O’Brien, Hope &
standable, says Hope &
Cope’s effectiveness is
Cope consultant Huguette
largely due to its ability to
Batshaw, because the profill three of the patient’s
gram was so innovative
crucial needs: the emothat some medical protional (dealing with the
fessionals weren’t sure
psychological repercuswhat to expect. “The fear
sions of cancer), the pracwas that cancer patients
tical (explanations about
might end up feeling
wigs, cosmetics and hanworse or that their condidling everyday tasks), and
tion might be further
the informational (hard
complicated if they were
facts about the disease).
counselled by volunteers,” (From left): Huguette Batshaw, Jean Remmer, volunteer Tracy Combined with superior
Shafter and Hinda Goodman.
explains Ms. Batshaw, a
medical treatment, this
supervisor in the Department of was something about the volun- comprehensive approach gives the
Social Services, who has been asso- teers’ approach that had to be mod- patient maximum support, Ms.
ciated with Hope & Cope since it ified.”
O’Brien says.
“The job they’ve done is simply
was launched in 1981. “Also don’t
Jean Remmer, Research Co-ordiforget that this was an era when wonderful,” says Dr. Richard nator at Hope & Cope, notes that
talking openly about cancer was Margolese, who has been Chief of proof for the program’s success can
Oncology since before Hope & be found in the fact that 25 percent
much harder than it is now.”
If any misgivings existed about Cope existed, and has always been of Hope & Cope’s patients are
the program, they have long since among the organization’s strongest referred by other hospitals. The provanished. Today Hope & Cope is supporters. “Not only does Hope & gram itself has also become a model
recognized as a courageous trail- Cope help us provide complete care for similar ventures in other healthblazer, whose 250 volunteers com- for cancer patients, it has changed care institutions. “We get phone
plement top-quality medical treat- public perceptions to the point calls from across Canada,” she says,
ment with the kind of counselling where patients are perceived as “because patients are willing to travel
and support that doctors usually being people and not as the embod- to where they’ve heard the service is
have neither the time nor the iment of the disease.”
best.”
“Hope & Cope is essential,”
resources to provide.
“We’ve come this far because
Of course, Ms. Batshaw adds, agrees Dr. Bernard Lapointe, Chief community support for Hope &
Hope & Cope had to prove itself. of Palliative Care. “There’s a lot that Cope is so strong,” adds Assistant
That’s why she was originally healthcare professionals can do, but Co-ordinator Hinda Goodman.
brought into the program, acting as patients also need a great deal of “The Jewish General Hospital has a
a liaison among Sheila Kussner information, peer support and the long history of motivating people to
(Hope & Cope’s founder), the 10 opportunity to meet people who pitch in and help, and that’s why our
volunteers, the Oncology Depart- have been through a similar experi- volunteers stay with us for such a
ment and the rest of the hospital. ence.
long time. They know that a key
“This is especially true for the aspect of this hospital’s philosophy
“We had to make sure the volunteers
were properly trained and behaved elderly who may have no one else to is that you come here not just for
appropriately. I was also the one turn to. In effect, Hope & Cope’s treatment, but to help someone else
who received feedback from doctors volunteers become their relatives, get well.”
and nurses, and relayed those com- sometimes during the final weeks of
ments to Hope & Cope in case there their lives. It’s amazing how much
6
SPRING 2006
Care For All.
A light of hope
in the darkest hour
A wealth of programs
and information
o this day, Dr. Emilia Szabo can’t imagine how she would
have endured what she describes as her “nightmare time”
without the practical advice and especially the emotional
support that she received from JGH Hope & Cope.
T
Here’s a selection of some of the
free services that Hope & Cope
offers to cancer patients and
their families:
As a retired surgeon, she thought her
medical background might provide some
reassurance as she waited last fall for the
pathology results regarding the tumour in
her breast. “But when I became a patient, I
was just not myself any more,” recalls Dr.
Szabo, who underwent a mastectomy last
October. “It was the hardest time in my
life, because I was in a constant state of
worry. Hope & Cope was my lifeline.”
Compounding the problem was the
suddenness of the diagnosis. In September,
a heavy book accidentally fell on Dr. Szabo,
causing a hematoma (a localized swelling Dr. Emilia Szabo
filled with blood) in her breast. During a
medical examination, a tumour was discovered beneath the hematoma, and a
month later surgery took place.
Hinda Goodman, Hope & Cope’s
Assistant Co-ordinator, put her in touch
with a psychologist. But most often, the
greatest relief for Dr. Szabo came in simply
being able to chat quietly and frankly with
Ms. Goodman and with Carole Séguin,
Nurse Clinician at the JGH’s Marlene and
Joel King Breast Referral and Investigation
Centre.“A conversation may not seem like a
lot, but for me it was a very big deal,” she
says. “Hinda gave me the feeling that there Linda Tracey
was always someone there to help me.
Through her example, she has also motivated me to become a Hope & Cope
volunteer.”
Linda Tracey lavishes similar praise on Ms. Goodman for the steadfast
support she received in 2001. During that hellish year, not only was Ms.
Tracey undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer, she was acting as the
primary caregiver for her twin sister who died of the same disease. “When
my sister died, I was in shock,” Ms. Tracey says with a sigh. “Hinda referred
me to a bereavement group and was incredibly helpful. She made it so much
easier for me to take my treatment, because I knew she’d always be there for
me to talk to.”
Today Ms. Tracey still pops in to say hello and thank everyone who has
been on her side. “Hope & Cope gave me and my sister support that was
really essential. There were times when it seemed like I was adrift in the
ocean—no … actually, it felt more like I was drowning. Hope & Cope rescued me.”
• Volunteers who guide new
patients through the Oncology Department, provide
support in the radiotherapy
and oncology clinics, and
participate in a one-to-one
buddy program with patients
• Support groups that focus
on laryngectomy, colorectal
cancer, women newly diagnosed with breast cancer,
and women living with
metastatic breast cancer
• Patient education in the
form of in-house lectures,
workshops on coping skills,
information kits, and a
library of books and audiovisual materials
• Creative programs such as
yoga, art, relaxation training
and expressive writing
• A resource centre featuring
a cosmetics workshop and a
variety of wigs, scarves and
turbans
• Transportation and parking
resources
• Volunteer visits to Palliative
Care, and bereavement
follow-up
• Opening in spring: The JGH
Hope & Cope Wellness
Centre, with counselling on
fitness and nutrition, plus
additional creative therapies
and educational resources
Au service de tous.
JGH NEWS
7
A year of Hope & Cope celebrations
JGH Hope & Cope is planning many exciting events to mark its 25th anniversary.
For more information, please call 514-340-8255.
May 3 - 6
A meeting of the Canadian Association of Psychosocial Oncology
will feature a keynote speech by Hope & Cope Chairman and founder
Sheila Kussner. Also speaking at the Château Champlain will be Dr. Jimmie
Holland, Chair of Psychiatry at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer
Center, who has provided advice and support to Hope & Cope since its
inception.
May 6
The fifth annual Denim & Diamonds comes to the Montreal Science
Centre in the Old Port. Tickets are $100 per person.
Here’s how
you can help
ow that Hope & Cope
has moved into new
facilities in the Segal
Cancer Centre and is preparing
to launch the JGH Hope & Cope
Wellness Centre in the spring,
volunteers and financial support are needed more than ever.
N
May 15
Dr. Patch Adams, the unconventional physician portrayed by Robin
Williams in the movie Patch Adams, will deliver a lecture and workshop
to mark the opening of the JGH Hope & Cope Wellness Centre. Dr. Adams,
founder of the Gesundheit! Institute, has championed laughter, joy and
creativity as keys to healing.
June 12
A week of Open House activities gets under way at the Wellness Centre,
including a garden party to honour and thank Hope & Cope’s volunteers.
All events are open to the public. Details to be announced.
Aug. 22
On the occasion of Hope & Cope’s 25th anniversary, Sheila Kussner will
be honoured at a gala event at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel.
Sept. 1 - 4
Hope & Cope will co-sponsor and take a major role in Retreat Yourself,
a Montreal retreat for young adults (under 35) who are dealing with cancer.
Topics include dating, sexuality, fertility and coping skills. The event is
organized by RealTime Cancer of St. John’s, Newfoundland.
Sept. 26 - 29
Sheila Kussner will be among the members of a keynote panel at the
World Congress of Palliative Care at Montreal’s Palais des Congrès.
During the event, Hope & Cope will also present the results of its research.
8
SPRING 2006
Care For All.
If you have strong interpersonal
skills, are comfortable in a
medical setting, have experience
with cancer, can commit to one
shift per week, and are bilingual
or multilingual, Hope & Cope
would be proud to have you on
the team. Successful candidates
will register with the JGH’s
Department of Volunteer
Services, but will receive their
training and orientation from
Hope & Cope. For more information or to arrange for an
interview, please call 514-3408255.
Donations are also appreciated
at any time. You can provide
support by calling Hope & Cope
at 514-340-8255 or the JGH
Foundation at 514-340-8251.
Fashion Fantasy helps
Wellness Centre’s dreams come true
ore than $1 million was raised at the colourful and exciting Fashion Fantasy XVI, with
proceeds benefiting the JGH Hope & Cope
Wellness Centre. The Centre, scheduled to open this
spring on Côte-Ste-Catherine Rd. just west of the
hospital, will provide a wide array of activities and
services to people recovering from cancer.
M
Fashion Fantasy, a show of elegant fashions by some of
the world’s top designers, attracted a sold-out audience of
more than 510 people to Congregation Shaar
Hashomayim on Aug. 23, 2005. A highlight of the event
was the breathtaking, after-dinner performance of two
ballet numbers by Les oiseaux du paradis.
Au service de tous.
JGH NEWS
9
Gearing up for another exciting Week
ew participants are signing up and innovative fund-raising projects are already
under way, as excitement builds for the second edition of the Weekend to End Breast
Cancer, Aug. 25 to 27.
N
formed the team with her twin sister
Janique and her younger sister Julie,
says demand has been strong
because purchasers enjoy making a
donation by buying postage they
can actually use. A sheet of 20
stamps costs $25 (tax included) and
can be ordered online at www.stampoutbreastcancer.com. By midJanuary, the Pink Grapefruits had
sold 4,000 stamps and had placed an
order with Canada Post for another
4,000.
The project takes advantage of a
Canada Post program that enables
consumers to create
personalized postage
stamps for a fee. Ms.
Pilon says the idea
originated early last
December when the
sisters were getting
ready to mail Christmas cards. It suddenly
occurred to them that
stamps — practical,
light and easily sold
over the Internet—would be an
ideal way to raise funds.
The stamp’s design uses an original painting by Nova Scotia artist
Joy Laking that Ms. Pilon found
online. She quickly contacted Ms.
Laking, explained the Pink
Grapefruits’ involvement in the
Weekend to End Breast Cancer, and
got permission to reproduce the
painting on the stamp. Canada Post
rushed the order and by Dec. 13, the
stamps began finding their way into
purchasers’ hands and onto their
envelopes.
Ms. Pilon says she hopes this project will inspire Canada Post to issue
stamps of its own, with a percentage
of the proceeds going to breast cancer
Photo: Russell Proulx
At the inaugural event in 2005,
approximately 3,011 people spent
two exhausting but rewarding days
walking 60 kilometres through the
streets of Montreal. By the time they
crossed the finish line, they had
raised an incredible $9.2 million for
treatment, prevention and research
into breast cancer at the Jewish
General Hospital’s newly completed
Segal Cancer Centre. Their efforts
are greatly appreciated and they’re
encouraged to sign up again,
because the fight against breast cancer has yet to be won.
Excited walkers begin their journey in
last summer’s Weekend to End Breast
Cancer.
In order to walk the route, each
person must raise at least $2,000—a
seemingly daunting task that participants discovered wasn’t nearly as
difficult as they expected. In fact, an
average of $3,000 per person was
raised in many ways, including bake
sales, car washes, golf tournaments
and letter-writing campaigns.
One of this year’s most unusual,
successful and creative fund-raising
projects is the sale of specially
designed postage stamps bearing a
picture of a pink grapefruit—a nod
to the three sisters in the Pink
Grapefruit team. Annick Pilon, who
10
SPRING 2006
Care For All.
Annick Pilon displays a sheet of the
special Pink Grapefruit postage
stamps she’s selling to raise funds for
the Weekend to End Breast Cancer.
The inset shows an enlarged stamp.
treatment and research. Such a plan
should be feasible, she adds, because
a similar project was successfully
implemented several years ago in
the United States.
Long before preparing the
stamps, the Pilon sisters had signed
up for the Weekend to End Breast
Cancer and chosen the team’s name.
“My husband and I were at a barbecue last August,” says Ms. Pilon,“and
we saw a friend of ours who was
undergoing therapy for breast cancer. It was the first time we saw her
wearing a scarf on her head, and she
had a great attitude—ready to do
anything to beat the disease. She
inspired us to play an active role.”
For Chantal Ste-Marie, this will
also be a first-time event—a show
of support for her daughter,
Danielle, who was diagnosed with
breast cancer and underwent a
lumpectomy two years ago. Today
Danielle’s condition is much
kend to End Breast Cancer
improved and she was
planning to be married
in February of this year.
Mrs. Ste-Marie said
she learned about the
Weekend to End Breast
Cancer last fall when the
leader of her Pilates
exercise class enthusiastically described the
event to the women in
the class. Now Mrs. SteMarie is one of 10 mem- Chantal Ste-Marie will
bers in the Studio Be be walking this August
team. By mid-January, in the Weekend to End
Breast Cancer.
her letter-writing campaign had earned $1,250 toward a personal objective
of $3,000.
“Contributing money for research is so important,” she says. “I saw what my daughter went
through and I realized that breast cancer doesn’t discriminate on the basis of age. Young women can also
get this terrible disease and I want to do what I can
to prevent it.”
he 2006 Weekend to End Breast Cancer will be held
from Aug. 25 to 27 to raise funds for treatment, prevention and research into breast cancer at the Jewish
General Hospital’s Segal Cancer Centre. Each participant pays
a $75 registration fee and makes a commitment to raise at
least $2,000.
After registering on the first day (Friday), participants
spend Saturday and Sunday walking a total of 60 kilometres
through the streets of Montreal, rain or shine. At the half-way
point on Saturday, they arrive at a camping area where they
enjoy entertainment and sleep overnight in tents. The walk
resumes on Sunday morning. All meals, drinks, snacks, tents,
washroom facilities and entertainment are provided.
Participants can register as individuals or as members of a
team. However, each person must still pay the registration fee
and raise at least $2,000. Individuals who are unable to walk
the route can still make a valuable contribution by signing up
as crew volunteers to serve meals, provide snacks to walkers or
perform other necessary jobs. Crew volunteers pay the same
$75 registration fee as walkers, and even though it is suggested that they raise $500, they are not obligated to do so.
For more information about the Weekend to End Breast
Cancer—including registration, joining or forming a team,
fund-raising, training or any aspect of the event—please visit
the website at www.endcancer.ca or phone the Montreal
office at 514-393-WALK (9255).
T
www.endcancer.ca
(514) 393-WALK (9255)
JGH website spruces up for spring
Spring is the perfect time for a fresh, new look—and that’s just what you’ll find at the Jewish General
Hospital’s website at www.jgh.ca. Pages have been completely redesigned to be more visually appealing
and to make a broad range of information about the JGH faster and easier to find.
www.jgh.ca
Au service de tous.
JGH NEWS
11
Rabbi Schecter: The JGH was his congregation
Archie Deskin, the JGH’s former
Executive Director, strongly recommended hiring Rabbi Schecter as the
hospital’s chaplain:
“Rabbi Schecter’s hallmark was
consideration for others. At his first
Rosh Hashanah service in the hospital,
he followed the Orthodox practice of
having men and women sit separately.
But if a female patient wanted to be
with her husband or father, Rabbi
Schecter never made a fuss because he
knew how much she needed the emotional support. He also spoke to me
to make sure that some of the nurses
would be allowed to place small
Christmas trees on their desks at
holiday time. He saw everyone as
being in his congregation—
absolutely everyone.”
As JGH President, Bernard J. Finestone made the decision to hire Rabbi
Schecter:
“I decided to hire a full-time chaplain, and for the past 25 years I have
been happy that I did. Rabbi Schecter
was a most valuable member of the
hospital staff and he will be missed
by everyone.”
Dr. Joseph Portnoy, Director of
Professional Services, was Rabbi
Schecter’s close friend:
“Every year, in his Rosh Hashanah
and Yom Kippur sermons, Rabbi
Schecter touched on subjects of all
sorts. But there was one phrase he kept
using over and over: ‘We’re all good
people.’ He used it because he really
believed it, and that’s why he won
everyone’s heart. People knew they
could turn to him in times of need
and he’d empathize with them, no
matter who they were or what their
background might be.”
Dr. Bernard Lapointe, Chief of
Palliative Care, helped Rabbi Schecter
organize memorial services to enable
people from all faiths to honour relatives and friends who had died while
at the JGH:
“Rabbi Schecter felt these services
would reassure people that the hospital
truly regards patients as human
beings, and not simply as medical
cases. In his own peaceful and gentle
12
SPRING 2006
way, he demonstrated his ability to
understand the emotional turmoil
that patients and their families sometimes endure.”
Rabbi Schecter with his wife, Miriam.
Myer Bick, President and CEO of the
JGH Foundation:
“For many people, the rabbinate or
the chaplaincy is just an occupation,
but for Rabbi Schecter, it was a true
calling—something he believed in
deeply. He had genuinely meaningful
words of consolation and comfort for
people in all circumstances, and that
is why patients, especially those who
were very ill or dying, were so moved
by his kindness.”
Dr. Mark Wainberg, Director of
Research at the JGH’s Lady Davis
Institute for Medical Research, was
preparing for his bar mitzvah at the
age of 12 when he first met Rabbi
Schecter at Congregation Beth Aaron:
“My initial impression of Rabbi
Schecter is the same one that has
stayed with me ever since: He was an
extremely kind and warm-hearted
person who was committed to Jewish
values and eager to make a real
difference in people’s lives.”
In the 1950s, Harvey Poch (currently
of Neve Daniel, Israel) attended Congregation Beth Aaron where Rabbi
Schecter officiated, and in the mid-’60s
he took courses at McGill with the
rabbi:
“When my father was ill in the
1990s, Rabbi Schecter visited him
often in the JGH. When Dad died,
Rabbi Schecter gathered details from
us for the eulogy, but then ended up
providing as many details himself as
he gleaned from us. He never preached,
but got his ideas across in a way that
Care For All.
anyone could understand, no matter
what their level of Jewish education.”
Stephen Rosen, a JGH
Housekeepeer:
“On Fridays, Rabbi Schecter handed
out challahs (braided egg loaves) for
the Sabbath. It didn’t matter if you
were a patient or a doctor or a housekeeper, you got a challah—all of us
were his people. The same thing happened if a patient died and the family
asked him to say the eulogy or conduct
a memorial service. He’d say yes,
because even if he knew a patient for
only a day, he automatically became
part of the family.”
Hy Rissman (of Wentworth-North,
Quebec, and Deerfield Beach, Florida)
befriended Rabbi Schecter in school
at Young Israel at the age of 8:
“When my parents were ill and in
a nursing home, Rabbi Schecter would
stop by, greet them and counsel them
as a rabbi and a friend. One word,
other than ‘erudite rabbi’, describes
him best: That word is mentsch and
it covers all the bases.”
Dr. Carolyn Ells, the JGH’s ethics
consultant, worked closely with Rabbi
Schecter on the hospital’s Clinical
Ethics Committee, which she chairs:
“Rabbi Schecter was an ally of the
patients and their families. What
impressed me was his dedication and
especially his willingness to listen. He
never lost patience, and when people
needed him, he stayed with them for
as long as it took.”
Dr. David Zukor, Chief of
Orthopedics:
“Rabbi Schecter was so much a part
of hospital life that he always seemed
to be there whenever you turned
around. And because his presence was
felt in such a tangible way, he had a
major effect on us all—not just in
terms of the hospital’s Jewish character,
but in the level of warmth and compassion that are so intrinsic to the
care that we provide.”
Rabbi Schecter accepts the JGH Humanitarian
Award from Executive Director Henri Elbaz,
Incoming President James Alexander and
Outgoing President Stanley K. Plotnick at
the Annual General Meeting in October,
2005.
For 25 years, Bryan Highbloom, the
JGH’s music therapist, played guitar at
Friday gatherings where Rabbi Schecter
helped elderly patients observe the
coming of the Jewish Sabbath:
“Rabbi Schecter would sometimes
meet patients who were Holocaust
survivors. Some had given up on religion
because of their terrible experiences,
but Rabbi Schecter treated them with
complete dignity and respect because
he believed he had no right to pass
judgment. He never felt he had to set
himself apart from other people in
order to maintain his identity.”
Rabbi Myer Schecter…
for his dedication to the patients,
staff and, indeed, the entire community. He touched so many lives over
so many years.” In the rabbi’s honour, the hospital’s flags flew at halfstaff during the week following his
death.
Born in Montreal on July 9, 1929,
Rabbi Schecter initially worked with
his father, William, in the clothing
business, but went on to obtain
rabbinical ordination. From 1953 to
1978, he was rabbi at the Congregation Beth Aaron in Park Extension,
before joining the Jewish General
Hospital in 1980.
Throughout his life, Rabbi
Schecter immersed himself in studies
of Judaism, social work and medical
ethics. In 1968 he obtained his
Master’s degree in social work from
Sandra Karel Feldman, a
secretary in the JGH’s Geriatric
Assessment Unit, first met Rabbi
Schecter when they were children,
because both families had country
homes near each other in ValMorin:
“Rabbi Schecter was like a
pillar of the hospital, like part of
the bricks. I could always count
on him to say kaddish (a Jewish
memorial prayer) for my late
father and I’ll always remember
the smile that greeted me when
we met in the corridors or cafeteria of the JGH.”
Moshe Benguira, supervisor of kashrut (Jewish
dietary practices) in the
JGH kitchen:
“What impressed me
was Rabbi Schecter’s personal touch. Every year
before Passover, dozens
of boxes of matzah were
provided to the hospital,
so that Jewish patients
could celebrate the holiday.
Rabbi Schecter insisted
on distributing them
himself.”
Dr. Michael Bouhadana of the
JGH’s Herzl Family Practice Centre:
“Rabbi Schecter knew of my interest
in medical ethics, so he encouraged me
to travel to Jerusalem last summer for
a course at Shaarei Tzedek Hospital.
By the time I returned, he was already
ill and we had only a little time to
talk. But I can’t tell you how pleased
he was that I had made the trip.”
Rabbi Schecter consults on issues of medical
ethics with staff and clergy.
continued from page 2.
McGill University, and in 2001 he
received his PhD in religious studies
and medical ethics from Concordia
University. He eagerly welcomed
public discussion of his ideas,
whether at hospital lectures or in
response to his written work. His
most recent article, an op-ed essay
in the Globe and Mail on Oct. 10,
2005, called on doctors to comply
more readily with the wishes of
dying patients who hold deep religious convictions.
Rabbi Schecter was particularly
proud of having interested the
National Film Board in documenting the remarkable story of a JGH
patient who was terminally ill. After
becoming acquainted with Daniel
Mergler, a 77-year-old piano teacher,
Rabbi Schecter learned that Mr.
Mergler was the mentor of Xin Ben,
a 9-year-old musical prodigy.
Amazingly, the unique relationship
between teacher and student continued even after Mr. Mergler’s
hospitalization at the JGH. This
prompted Rabbi Schecter to contact
the NFB, resulting in a poignant,
half-hour documentary, Mr. Mergler’s
Gift, which premiered at the 2004
World Film Festival.
In his modest way, Rabbi Schecter
exerted a profound influence upon
the JGH as a member of the hospital’s Clinical Ethics Committee,
organizer of staff lectures on clinical
ethics, and a leader of religious affairs.
Every Friday, he joined long-term
care patients at a service to welcome
the Jewish Sabbath. On an annual
Continued… please turn the page.
Au service de tous.
JGH NEWS
13
basis, he organized a special Sabbath
service and luncheon to honour the
lay leadership and staff, and every
year he officiated at High Holiday
services for patients, their families
and staff. In 2005, he held a special
memorial service to mark the 60th
anniversary of the end of the
Holocaust.
Also among Rabbi Schecter’s
responsibilities was arranging for
the spiritual comfort of patients of
all religions. In doing so, he developed an excellent rapport with
Catholic and Protestant clergy, as
well with as other spiritual leaders
who regularly visit the hospital. In
this spirit, he organized a multidenominational service which is
held every three months in memory
of patients who have passed away at
the hospital.
At all of these events, the solemnity of the proceedings was tempered by Rabbi Schecter’s warmth,
his heartfelt words of solace and his
recurring wish that all individuals
respect the humanity of others,
despite their religious and cultural
differences. At appropriate moments,
he was also fond of joking that he
was the only rabbi in Montreal who
fervently prayed that the size of his
congregation—in other words, the
number of patients at the JGH—
would shrink.
Rabbi Schecter was buried in
Israel. He is survived by his wife
Miriam, who is a bereavement counsellor at the JGH, and by their five
children and many grandchildren,
as well as by three brothers.
Endowment in rabbi’s memory
To honour the JGH’s chaplain, the
Rabbi Myer Schecter Memorial Fund
has been established to support an
endowment for education and medical
ethics. This initiative by the Schecter
family reflects the deep interest that
Rabbi Schecter expressed in medical
ethics, as well as the PhD that he earned
in 2001 in religious studies and medical
ethics. To donate, please call the JGH
Foundation at 514-340-8251.
14
SPRING 2006
Newsmakers
IN MEMORIAM
The Jewish General Hospital mourns the passing of five valued individuals,
and extends deepest sympathies to their relatives and friends.
Dr. Morrie Gelfand, a 50-year
veteran of the
JGH and Chief
of the hospital’s
Department of
Obstetrics and
Gynecology for
32 years, died on Nov. 29, 2005, at
the age of 81. A founding director of
the McGill University Menopause
Clinic, Dr. Gelfand won international praise for his work in female
hormone replacement therapy. At
the JGH, he made major strides in
reducing prenatal mortality rates,
and was known for his warm and
personable manner and his optimistic outlook. Dr. Gelfand was
named an Officer of the Order of
Canada in 1989 and served as
President of the North American
Menopause Society and the
Canadian and Quebec Societies of
Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
Dr. Ralph J.
Germinario died
on Dec. 23, 2005,
after a distinguished career as
a researcher at the
JGH’s Lady Davis
Institute for Medical Research. Dr. Germinario
conducted scientific studies into
diabetes and AIDS and held senior
teaching positions at McGill and
Concordia Universities.
Dr. Herbert M. Schulman, who
helped to establish the JGH’s Lady
Davis Institute for Medical Research
as an internationally recognized
centre of scientific investigation,
died on Dec. 27, 2005. Dr. Schulman, 73, made a major contribution
to science and was an outspoken
defender of scientific ethics and
integrity.
Care For All.
Florence Lurie, Administrative
Assistant for the Department of
Obstetrics and Gynecology, died on
Oct. 17, 2005, at the age of 64. Mrs.
Lurie had worked at the JGH for 14
years, and according to her son,
Rob, “she just loved it there. For her,
it did not feel like going to a job—it
was more like going to a place where
she could see her friends every day.
She told me it was the warmest
working environment she’d ever
been in and she loved making
friends not just in her own office,
but in doctors’ offices throughout
the hospital.”
Avrum Orenstein, a lawyer who
was associated with the JGH for 30
years in labour relations, died on
Dec. 3, 2005. Mr. Orenstein was
known for his dedicated service in
successfully resolving many labour
disputes. He was also widely
respected for his work in the Jewish
community, holding such positions
as president of the Jewish Public
Establishments Commission, treasurer of Mount Sinai Hospital,
director of the Jewish Community
Foundation, director of Adath
Israel Congregation, president of
Jewish Family Services, and vicepresident of Federation CJA. In
addition, Mr. Orenstein served as
director emeritus of the Quebec
Bar Association Foundation, member of the Regional Health and
Social Services Council, and president of the Centre de santé et de
services sociaux Cavendish. He is
survived by his wife, Pearl Orenstein, the JGH’s Co-ordinator of
Infection Prevention and Control.
WELCOME!
The Jewish General Hospital is pleased to welcome the
following professionals to its staff.
Dr. Adrian Gologan brings in-depth knowledge of
gastrointestinal pathology to his position in the
Pathology Department. Dr. Gologan obtained his MD
in Bucharest, Romania, and finished his residency in
anatomical and clinical pathology at St. Luke’sRoosevelt Hospital Centre in New York. He also completed gastrointestinal and genitourinary fellowships
at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
As the newest member of the Department of Urology,
Dr. Jordan Steinberg becomes the hospital’s first
urologic oncologist, specializing in the surgical management of prostate, bladder, kidney and testicular
cancers. Dr. Steinberg received his medical and residency training at McGill University and the JGH. Most
recently, he completed a fellowship in urologic oncology at the University of Texas’ M.D. Anderson Cancer
Center in Houson, where he helped develop and study
novel biomarkers for the detection of cancer of the
bladder.
Dr. Monika Volesky, a foot and ankle specialist, has
joined the Orthopedics Department. Previously, Dr.
Volesky was Senior Clinical Associate in Orthopedic
Surgery and a Fellow at the Weill Medical College of
Cornell University in New York. She also completed a
Foot and Ankle Surgery Fellowship while training at
the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York.
CONGRATULATIONS
Dr. Samuel O. Freedman, O.C.,
C.Q., former Director of Research at
the JGH’s Lady Davis Institute for
Medical Research, has been named to
receive the 2006 James H. Graham
Award, one of the highest honours of
the Royal College of Physicians and
Surgeons. The award, to be presented
on Sept. 29 during the college’s annual conference in
Ottawa, recognizes an individual whose outstanding
achievements reflect the aims and objectives of the Royal
College. Dr. Freedman gained international renown as
co-discoverer of an antigen whose identification led to
the first serological test for the detection of intestinal
cancer. He currently serves as a senior advisor to the
Jewish General Hospital.
In addition to his duties as Chief of
the Division of Nephrology, Dr. Mark
Lipman has accepted the position of
Associate Physician-in-Chief in the
Department of Medicine. In this
capacity, he will assist Dr. Ernesto
Schiffrin, the hospital’s new Physician-in-Chief, in clinically related
activities.
Two Associate Directors of Research have been appointed at the JGH’s Lady Davis Institute for Medical
Research. In December, 2005, Dr. Stéphane Richard
became Associate Director of Research with responsibility for basic science at the Lady Davis Institute,
where he will also assist the Director of Research. In
September, 2005, Dr. Susan Kahn, of the Division of
Internal Medicine, was named Associate Director for
Clinical Research. Her duties include fostering links
among JGH clinicians and researchers, and encouraging cross-disciplinary clinical research initiatives.
Dr. Togas Tulandi, Chief of the
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, became President of the
Society of Reproductive Surgeons in
October, 2005. The election took
place at the Annual Meeting of the
American Society for Reproductive
Medicine at the Palais des Congrès in
Montreal. During that event, more than 200 physicians
from around the world watched a live, closed-circuit
broadcast of Dr. Tulandi performing surgery in a JGH
operating room.
In September, 2005, Dr. Howard Bergman, Chief of
the Division of Geriatric Medicine, was named by the
Canadian Institutes of Health Research as Chair of the
Advisory Board of the Institute of Aging. Currently,
Dr. Bergman is also President of the Canadian Geriatrics
Society.
Dr. Miguel Burnier, Chief of the
Department of Ophthalmology and
Ophthalmologist-in-Chief at McGill
University, was co-recipient in October, 2005, of McGill’s first Ophthalmology Resident/Clinical Fellow
Award. The award, shared with JGH
resident Dr. Sana Al-Zuhaibi, is
given for the best presentation by a resident or clinical
Fellow at the annual McGill Ophthalmology Clinical
and Scientific Day.
Continued… please turn the page.
Au service de tous.
JGH NEWS
15
NEWSMAKERS
… continued from page 15.
Dr. Apostolos
Papageorgiou,
Chief of the
Department of
Pediatrics,
received
the
Soranos Friendship and Science
Award in October, 2005, in Izmir,
Turkey. The award is bestowed
upon individuals who have made
major contributions to world peace
and well-being.
Dr. Chaim Edelstein of the Department of Ophthalmology received
the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s Achievement Award at the
Academy’s annual meeting in
Chicago in October, 2005. The
award recognizes the “outstanding
contribution by an individual to the
field of ophthalmology through scientific presentations, lectures and
instructional courses.” On a more
personal note, Dr. Edelstein was
recently ranked 53rd in the world in
the over-35 category in tennis. He is
ranked first in Quebec and third in
Canada in that category.
Dr. Mervyn Gornitsky of the
Department of Dentistry, along
with a team from the JGH and
McGill University, have received the
H. Dean Millard Prize as co-authors
of the best paper on oral medicine
published in 2004-05 in the U.S.
journal Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine,
Oral Pathology, Oral Radiology and
Endodontology. The team includes
Dr. George Shenouda, Dr. Khalil
Sultanem, Dr. Howard Katz, Dr.
Michael Hier, Dr. Martin Black and
Dr. Ana M. Velly.
Dr. Lorraine Chalifour, a staff
investigator studying cardiovascular disease at the Lady Davis Institute, is among four authors who
have received the 2005 CJPP Award
from the Pharmacological Society
of Canada for the best paper published in the Canadian Journal of
Physiology and Pharmacology.
16
SPRING 2006
Research is priority
for JGH’s new
Physician-in-Chief
ention the JGH's Department
of Medicine, and the first
thoughts that come to mind
are of outstanding clinical care and
top quality teaching.
M
That's as it should be, says the department's new Chief, Dr. Ernesto
Schiffrin, since excellence in clinical care and teaching characterize the
Department. However, he says, one crucial component is sometimes
overlooked: Research deserves greater emphasis, especially in the context
of a major university hospital like the Jewish General.
“I want the Department of Medicine to be at the cutting edge of medical science, especially in translational research—in other words, taking
our latest discoveries to patients as quickly as possible and applying new
information in a practical way,” says Dr. Schiffrin, who became Chief of
the JGH’s largest department in January. He has also been appointed
Vice-Chair for Research in McGill University’s Department of Medicine.
As the department’s head (a position also known as Physician-inChief), Dr. Schiffrin oversees activities in the Divisions of Allergy &
Immunology, Cardiology, Dermatology, Endocrinology, Gastroenterology,
Geriatric Medicine, Internal Medicine, Nephrology, Pulmonary Diseases
and Rheumatology.
He is also continuing his life’s work in treating and researching hypertension, as well as establishing a Cardiovascular Risk Reduction Centre to
bring together leading physicians from the Department of Medicine and
allied health professionals from across the hospital. In addition, he
intends to recruit physician-scientists in the various specialties of Internal
Medicine to further strengthen the quality of care, teaching and research
at the JGH. “As for my own role, it’s something I’m very much looking
forward to. However, the glory I prefer is reflected glory—the kind you
get when the people around you succeed.”
Dr. Schiffrin was born in Buenos Aires, where he received his medical
degree in 1969. For the past 30 years he has lived in Montreal, earning a
Ph.D. in Experimental Medicine from McGill University in 1980. He is
Professor of Medicine at the University of Montreal; Director of the
Multidisciplinary Research Group on Hypertension and the Hypertension Clinic at the Clinical Research Institute of Montreal; and staff in
the Division of Internal Medicine at Hôtel-Dieu Hospital of the
University of Montreal Hospital Centre (CHUM).
Dr. Schiffrin is President of the Inter-American Society of Hypertension; Associate Editor of Hypertension, the journal of the American
Heart Association; Immediate Past Chair of the American Heart
Association’s High Blood Pressure Research Council; and a Past President
of the Canadian Hypertension Society.
For Dr. Schiffrin, the decision to come to the JGH made perfect sense.
“I love Montreal and this is the city’s most dynamic hospital, ” he says. “It
provides excellent care to patients and is an integral part of McGill
Medical School, with an administration that’s truly forward-looking. It
also has the essential ability to raise funds effectively and put that money
to use rapidly. As proof, all you need to do is look around at all of the
activity in construction and renovation. It’s most impressive.”
Care For All.
New surgical procedure eases anguish
of losing salivary glands to cancer
new surgical procedure, currently showing excellent results in tests at the JGH, is enabling
some patients to avoid the destruction of all of their salivary glands during radiation therapy
for head and neck cancer. By relocating and preserving a single salivary gland, doctors can
greatly reduce the severity of the side-effects caused by radiation, long after the cancer has been
wiped out.
A
“This is the next big
The first JGH patient
milestone in our field,”
to benefit from the prosays Dr. Michael Hier,
cedure—and come away
Associate Chief of Otodelighted with the outLaryngology/Head and
come—is Serge Carrières,
Neck Surgery at the JGH.
who was treated by Drs.
“The results have been
Hier and Sultanem in
dramatic and we’re very
mid-2002 to have cancer
happy with them. My
removed from his right
enthusiasm is extremely
tonsil. “It felt strange to
high.” “We’re still comstart by having an operpleting our studies, but
ation and that I knew
we’re convinced there is a
wouldn’t do anything to
major difference,” adds
eliminate the cancer,”
Dr. Khalil Sultanem of Serge Carrières (centre) is examined by Dr. Michael Hier (right) says Mr. Carrières, 54,
and Dr. Khalil Sultanem to ensure that his salivary glands are
the JGH’s Division of functioning properly.
the former Executive
Radiation-Oncology.
Director of the LakeIn conventional treatment, the which a healthy salivary gland is shore General Hospital. “But I went
patient’s six salivary glands are moved from its initial position at ahead, because I felt there was a
destroyed if exposed to the radiation the rear and underside of the jaw to strong possibility for better longthat fights the tumour. Thus, for the a new spot under the chin. At all term recovery—and today I feel
rest of the patient’s life, the mouth is times, the gland remains attached to great. I’m familiar with people who
deprived of saliva and is
its original blood supply have been treated for the same kind
“The results
in constant danger of
of cancer as mine, but without the
and nerves.
drying out, forcing the have been
Then, after the sur- relocation of the salivary gland.
patient to drink often
gical wound has healed, Years later, they’re still having
dramatic and
and carry a bottle of
the patient undergoes tremendous problems.”
we’re very happy radiation therapy. Since
water at all times. This
The pilot study at the JGH,
a major inconvenience
described
in a paper that has been
the
chin
(the
new
with them.
that can contribute to
“home” of the salivary accepted for publication, involved
My enthusiasm
problems such as sleep
gland) can be shielded 10 patients and yielded very promisis extremely
deprivation,
since
fairly easily from radia- ing clinical results. The procedure is
patients must wake up high.”
tion, the relocated now being studied in conjunction
to drink or urinate
gland is preserved with the University of Alberta’s
frequently in the middle of the while the other five are disabled. Cross Cancer Institute in Edmonton,
night. Even if the patient drinks Although one gland cannot do the and Drs. Hier and Sultanem hope
enough water regularly, the risk of work of six, Dr. Hier has found that that interim analysis of the findings
tooth decay remains elevated, the the surviving gland can still help the will be so positive that the procesense of taste is likely to disappear or patient avoid the most severe side- dure will go into general use more
be significantly diminished, and the effects associated with radiation quickly than anticipated—perhaps
patient can experience difficulty in therapy.
as early as this year.
eating or speaking.
“I’m very happy about the way
However, he cautions that not
These problems can be eliminated every patient is a suitable candidate. things have turned out,” says Dr.
or greatly reduced by shielding one This procedure cannot be used if Hier, “and I’d like my colleagues to
salivary gland from radiation and cancer is already present near the consider offering this procedure in
leaving it undamaged. Several weeks patient’s chin. Also, doctors must be the future to as many eligible canbefore radiation therapy begins, the certain the salivary gland is entirely didates as possible.”
patient undergoes an operation in cancer-free before it is moved.
Au service de tous.
JGH NEWS
17
Attention, class:
JGH Mini-Med School is back in session
GH Mini-Med School is back for another exciting series of lectures,
featuring in-depth yet easy-to-understand information about
your body, as well as practical tips and sound advice on staying
healthy and keeping fit. The four-part series of weekly French sessions
begins April 4, followed by a six-part English series starting May 2.
Each enlightening, entertaining session—delivered by some of the
JGH’s top medical professionals—will help you make sense of bewildering and sometimes conflicting medical headlines and news stories.
You’ll also get a better understanding of how today’s pressing medical challenges are being addressed. And at each session, there will be
plenty of time for questions. Registration for each session begins at
6:45 p.m. and the 90-minute program gets under way at 7:30.
J
Here’s what’s ahead in this spring’s English series:
• May 2: Dr. André Dascal (Division of Microbiology)
– “Emerging Infections: Natural Mutations and Test-Tube Creations”
• May 9: Dr. Walter Gotlieb (Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology)
– “Preventing the Cancer that Whispers”
• May 16: Dr. Nancy Morin (Division of Colorectal Surgery) – “Working
Where the Sun Don’t Shine: Colorectal Screening and Prevention Tips”
• May 23: Dr. Martin Black (Chief, Department of Surgery)
– “Cutting Remarks from a Head and Neck Surgeon”
• May 30: Dr. Jacques Corcos (Chief, Department of Urology)
– “Keeping the Plumbing Humming”
• June 6: Dr. Samer Abi Nader (McGill University, Faculty of Dentistry)
– “To Implant or Not to Implant—That is the Question”
The Jewish General Hospital’s
entire Mini-Med series is now
available on DVD!
•
•
•
•
Looking for tips on staying healthy and fit?
Want to prevent trouble before it starts?
Miss any of the original Mini-Med lectures?
Need a practical gift for a friend or relative?
The Mini-Med DVD is just
what the doctor ordered!
This DVD is physician-prescribed
to provide:
• Practical advice about health and disease,
delivered by leading JGH clinicians and
researchers
• Common-sense insights into bewildering
and conflicting medical headlines and news
stories
• User-friendly information about the way
new medical challenges are being addressed
through research and clinical practice at the
JGH
Price: $45 (personal) / $90 (institutional)
For more information: www.jgh.ca
Register now by visiting www.jgh.ca or by calling 514-340-8222, local 3337.
This program is made possible by an unrestricted grant from Pfizer Canada Inc.
Boosting speed and accuracy of cancer diagnoses
fter three years of planscans were sent to the
ning and construction,
Montreal General or Hôtelthe JGH has put a new
Dieu hospitals.
PET/CT scanner into opera“The impact on patient
tion in a refurbished, state-ofcare is going to be outstandthe-art Nuclear Medicine
ing,” said Dr. Jerry Stern, Chief
facility. The donors—Wally
of Nuclear Medicine.” “We
and Aaron Fish, Ethel and
can now diagnose cancer
Morty Fruchter, and Manya
much more quickly,” added
and David Stendel—were
Yvon Blondeau, Chief Technihonoured for their generosity
cian in the Division of
From left: JGH President James Alexander, Aaron
at a reception last fall.
Nuclear Medicine. “It’s also
Fish, Morty Fruchter, Manya Stendel, Ethel Fruchter,
“We have exceptional Wally Fish, JGH Executive Director Henri Elbaz.
easier to see if the treatments
physicians at this institution,”
are working and to save
Mr. Fish said, “and it’s a wonderful while CT scans provide detailed patients from unnecessary surgery.”
feeling for us to be able to give them views of the anatomy. By combining
In designing Nuclear Medicine’s
the latest equipment to be at the these forms of technology, the new space, Mr. Blondeau said, plancutting edge of technology.” Mr. Positron Emission Tomography/ ners had to consider the effect that
Fish and his philanthropic partners Computed Tomography scanner the hospital’s natural vibrations
have also purchased much-needed superimposes the images in 3D to might have on the scanner. For this
equipment for other JGH depart- identify lesions and pinpoint their reason, the machine was installed
location more precisely. Since the underground and the new facility
ments.
PET scans identify lesions but JGH previously offered only CT was built around it in room 19 of
cannot show their exact location, scans, patients who needed PET Pavilion G.
A
18
SPRING 2006
Care For All.
Auxiliary News
Panache takes
a second helping
Bargain hunters flock to Fall Fair
(From left) Ida Spector, Susan Wolfe,
Merle Klam and Milly Lande enjoy
the excitement of the Fall Fair.
(From left) Linny Blauer and Sylvia
Amar, Chairs of the Fall Fair.
n three hectic but fun-filled days last October, The Auxiliary’s Fall Fair
and Raffle raised $100,000 toward the purchase of a portable ultrasound unit for the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. The event
was a success thanks to Chairs Sylvia Amar and Linny Blauer; Frippery
Chair Florence Berns; Collectibles Chairs Merle Klam and Ida Spector;
Publicity Chair Saundra Barrer; and Raffle Chairs Sandy Appel and
Rosalie Faigan.
I
Lifeline extends a helping hand
hrough its partnership with Lifeline,
The Auxiliary has
purchased Stryker beds
and Broda chairs for the
JGH. Many thanks to
Lifeline
volunteers
Rachelle Douek, Margo
Elman, Carole Flikier,
Barbara Gartner, Nancy
Goldenberg, Harvey Lyman, Bernie Victor, Bernard Pont, Morty
Cornblit and Issie Moscovitch; Lifeline’s CEO Len Wechsler and regional
sales manager Stéphane Tremblay; and JGH staff, Dr. Ruby Friedman
(Department of Geriatrics), Estelle Kalfon (Head Nurse, 6 North) and Julie
Faucher (physical rehabilitation therapist). Chairs are Essie Rosenthal and
Fran Yagod.
T
Personal Response and Support Services
Personal Response, Reminders and more …
year after its release, The
Auxiliary’s hit cookbook,
Panache: Montreal’s Flair for
Kosher Cooking, is available in its
second, newly revised edition.
Panache has already found its way
into kitchens in Israel and across
North America. It can be yours for
$45, tax included, from The Auxiliary at 514-340-8216. It’s also available at local bookstores. Proceeds
from the sale of Panache will benefit
the JGH’s Emergency Department.
A
On the green
Dorothy Rotholz (left) and Ellen
Amdursky at the 13th Annual Silver
Star – Mercedes-Benz Golf Classic
on June 6, 2005, at the Elm Ridge
Country Club. In conjunction with the
Foundation, The Auxiliary published a
souvenir book and helped coordinate
logistics at the event.
Immediate help at the press of a button
An Auxiliary Project - Jewish General Hospital
514-344-2172
MAKE YOUR TABLE BLOOM
Getting ready for Passover? Add a springtime flourish to your seder table with a
bouquet or plant from The Auxiliary’s Flower Corner. We also prepare customized
baby baskets and special orders for all occasions. For more information, please call
514-340-8222, local 5512.
To mark The Auxiliary’s 70th anniversary, ReNaissance Gala – Revelry and
Regalia will be held on April 27 at Le
Windsor, 1170 Peel. For more information, please call 514-340-8216.
Au service de tous.
JGH NEWS
19
Honouring the JGH’s brightest and best
ine outstanding staffers and volunteers have been
honoured by the Jewish General Hospital for providing patients with top-quality medical treatment
or for making an extraordinary effort to ensure that the
JGH can deliver the best possible care.
“You represent every reason for our success and you distinguish our hospital from all others,” Outgoing President
Stanley K. Plotnick told the award winners at the 71st
Annual General Meeting on Oct. 20, 2005. “You bring heart
and soul and community commitment to this hospital.”
In recognition of his 25 years of dedicated service, Rabbi
Myer Schecter, Ph.D., was chosen to receive the first-ever
JGH Humanitarian Award. “I wish and hope that this hospital will continue to grow from strength to strength,” a
beaming Rabbi Schecter told the audience. Sadly, the award
was presented less than two months before the rabbi’s sudden death due to complications of cancer. For more on
Rabbi Schecter, please turn to the tribute that begins on
page 2 of this issue of JGH News.
N
Outgoing President Stanley K. Plotnick (left) and
Incoming President James Alexander (right) present
the 2005 Distinguished Service Award to Stephen
Kaplan.
Details about the award winners can be found
in the hospital’s 2004-05 Annual Report, which is
available in the Côte-Ste-Catherine lobby and
online at www.jgh.ca.
Mr. Alexander also used the occasion to thank
Mr. Plotnick for having completed a highly productive and rewarding two-year term as President.
“What has always mattered to him more than anything else,” said Mr. Alexander, “is the hospital's
ability to offer a helping, healing hand to anyone
who needs it—and to offer it with skill, dedication,
compassion and dignity.”
Stanley K. Plotnick and President James Alexander with the
2005 Award of Excellence recipients.
Stephen Kaplan, who was instrumental in ensuring that
a fast-track construction schedule would enable the new
Cummings Pavilion E facilities to open on time, received
the Distinguished Service Award. “His respect for construction deadlines is, in effect, a deep respect for the crucial
needs of our patients,” said Incoming President James
Alexander. “The sooner the new floors are opened, the
sooner we can provide faster, more efficient and more
effective Care for All.”
Honoured with Awards of Excellence, in recognition
of their exemplary contributions to the JGH, were:
Dr. Jacob Garzon, General Surgeon—Medical Excellence
Alison Milligan, Nursing Director, Surgery
—Excellence in Nursing
Dr. Wilson Miller, Director, JGH Clinical Research Unit
—Excellence in Medical Research
Jean-Marie Mallet, Director, Human Resources
—Excellence in Management
Maria Monaco, Administrative Technician
—Excellence in Administrative Support
Janet Sutherland, Social Worker, Division of Child Psychiatry
—Excellence among Allied Health Professionals
Bernard Richler, Volunteer—Outstanding Volunteer
20
SPRING 2006
Care For All.
“Outstanding healthcare
professionals”
The following letter was received by the Jewish
General Hospital.
I wish to express my deepest appreciation to
the doctors and nurses at the JGH who took
such exceptional care of me in treating my
broken ankle in the summer and fall of 2005.
You have an outstanding group of healthcare
professionals who went out of their way to
make me feel comfortable, secure and happy.
They put my well-being first and foremost.
This extended from the Emergency section to
the X-ray unit to nurses at every step of the
way. Above all, I have the deepest respect and
admiration for my surgeon, Dr. Olga Huk.
She was simply wonderful.
Chandra A. Madramootoo
Baie d’Urfé
The Foundation
Report
Sir Mortimer B. Davis – Jewish General Hospital Foundation · www.powertoheal.ca
CAMPAIGN UPDATE
Campaign reaches $100 million mark
2006, ushering in a new era in
e are proud to report that
cancer care for all Quebecers. As
the “Power to Heal” camwell, expansion of Cummings
paign has reached a milePavilion E will soon be fully comstone, the $100 million mark. We
pleted. A link between Pavilion E
are now on target to reach our $200
and the Lady Davis Institute for
million goal. During the past 21/2
Medical Research (LDI) was comyears, the Foundation has received
pleted last December, allowing for
funds from long-time supporters,
better synergies between LDI
as well as new friends. A number of
investigators and those at the Segal
cultural communities have also
Centre. Programs to be housed
embraced the hospital as their
in these facilities, along with
own, contributing personally and Morton Brownstein and Edward Wiltzer,
their equipment, clinicians and
hosting events dedicated to various Campaign Co-Chairs.
researchers, still require funding, as do the future
hospital departments and divisions.
The corporate community has stepped up to the Cardiovascular Sciences Centre, the LDI expansion and
plate, with donations most recently from Banque over 40 hospital departments and divisions. For example,
Nationale du Canada, ScotiaBank, Canadian National donor support will be required for programs such as the
and Microsoft Canada. Congratulations to the Hon. E. Stroke Unit Program, which will raise funds to build
Leo Kolber, Harvey Rosenbloom, Harold “Sonny” a unit specifically dedicated to providing specialized
Gordon and Harry Hart for their outstanding work can- multidisciplinary care to patients admitted to the JGH
vassing these banks and corporations. Foundations have with a principal diagnosis of stroke.
We know that we can count on the continuing
also been key supporters, as demonstrated by the recent
gift from the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Foundation generosity of our current donors, as well as on the
generosity of new donors whom we still hope to attract
Health Fund at the Foundation of Greater Montreal.
However, even with all of our success to date, much to the JGH, making the second half of the campaign as
still remains to be done. The Segal Cancer Centre, a successful as the first.
centrepiece of the campaign, officially opens in April,
W
Morton Brownstein
Edward Wiltzer
Campaign Co-Chairs
Passover cards will brighten your holiday
Passover is a perfect time to send warm wishes to family, friends and business associates.
There is no better way to show your appreciation than by contributing to the Foundation
and supporting the well-being of our community.
For a minimum cost of $10 per card, we will personalize the inscription and take care of
mailing. You can also purchase a package of 12 cards for $100 and send them out yourself.
Our cards feature the painting “The Wild Poppies” by Rita Briansky, whose works are
showcased in the JGH’s Health Science Library.
To order your cards, please call the Foundation at 514-340-8251.
Au service de tous.
JGH NEWS
21
DONOR SPOTLIGHT
New lecture honours Dr. Harvey Sigman
Portable dialysis unit gratefully accepted
Dr. Harvey Sigman (front row, third from right) was joined by
lead donors Judy and Gerald Litwin and Farla and Harvey
C. Krentzman on Nov. 23, 2005, to help inaugurate the Dr.
Harvey H. Sigman Lecture in Surgical Education. This clinical
lecture honours Dr. Sigman for his devoted and longstanding
commitment to medical education. With much sadness, we also
note the sudden and untimely passing of Mr. Krentzman.
The JGH Foundation is grateful to Claire Lightstone for her
generosity and determination in approaching family and friends
to help purchase a new portable dialysis unit. We are proud to
announce that Claire has reached her goal and that the new
equipment has been purchased.
A can-do approach to fundraising
Electron microscope for Pathology Dept.
On Nov. 15, 2005, the Department of Pathology and the JGH
Foundation had the opportunity once again to thank a dynamic
trio of couples—Wally and Aaron Fish, Ethel and Morty
Fruchter, and Manya and David Stendel—who were joined
by Charlene and Reginald Weiser, all contributing to the purchase
of a digitized electron microscope.
A touching bar mitzvah gift
Mazel tov to Evan Berall
(seen here with Dr. Norman
Wolkove), who chose to celebrate his bar mitzvah by
purchasing a spirometer for
the Division of Pulmonary
Diseases, in loving memory
of his grandmother, Esther
Cymbalista.
Matthew Oppenheim, a Grade 2 pupil at the Jewish People’s
& Peretz Schools, is a born fundraiser. Assisted by his parents
and teachers, Matthew decided to organize a can collection,
with proceeds going to JGH cancer research. Over 12,000 cans
were collected and $600 was raised by students at JPPS. A huge
thank you to Matthew, his parents, fellow students and VicePrincipal Debra Michael for this outstanding initiative!
Support for Neonatology
and Housekeeping
Congregation helps hemodialysis
patients
Stanley and Lois Tucker, joined by their daughter, grandchildren and Mr. Tucker’s sister, are thanked by Dr. Apostolos
Papageorgiou and Tony Nappi for their generous gifts to the
Department of Neonatology and the Housekeeping Department.
For three years, Congregation Shomrim Laboker has chosen
to donate a portion of the proceeds of its annual raffle to the
JGH. This year, its generous gift will be used to purchase a
portable ultrasound machine to aid in the placement of
catheters in hemodialysis patients.
22
SPRING 2006
Care For All.
Fairway fundraiser for Segal Cancer Centre
ore than 260 determined golfers withstood a
30-degree scorcher on Sept. 12, 2005, to help
raise a total of $335,000 at the Fourth Annual
HSBC Golf Tournament, benefiting the JGH’s new Segal
Cancer Centre. The event at the prestigious Royal
Montreal Golf Club challenged participants to some
thirty-six holes, including the club’s world renowned
Blue Course. Golfers also enjoyed brunch, a barbecue
on the green, cocktails and dinner. The tournament
itself raised $325,000, with an additional $10,000 donated
by HSBC on the spot.
Gift and prize sponsors included Anglo Canadian
Housewares LLP, Audi Prestige and Porsche Prestige,
Air Canada, Café Ferreira, Intrawest, Le Scandinave
Spa, Hillsdale and Elm Ridge Country Clubs. Thanks to
major sponsors Rosdev Group/Rosdev Hotels, Melcor
Investments Inc., McCarthy Tétrault, Jesta Capital,
H.H. Davis & Associates Inc., RSM Richter, and Borden
Ladner Gervais.
Special thanks to tournament President Jon Hountalas,
Senior Vice-President of the Quebec and Atlantic Regions
M
Medical research library dedicated
(From left) Sam Minzberg (former Chair, JGH Foundation),
Sean O’Sullivan (COO, HSBC), Myer Bick (President and
CEO, JGH Foundation), Jon Hountalas (Senior Vice-President,
Quebec and Atlantic Regions, HSBC Bank Canada) and
James Alexander (President of the JGH).
of HSBC Bank Canada, and to Nadia Michael, VicePresident of Business Development for the Quebec
Region of HSBC. Thanks also to volunteers from HSBC
Bank Canada and the JGH Foundation. Look for the
Fifth Annual Tournament later this year!
It’s a Girl Thing: The Sequel
ack for its second smash year, “It’s A Girl Thing”
raised over $100,000 on Nov. 20, 2005, on behalf
of the Gloria Shapiro Fund for Ovarian Cancer
Research. Proceeds will benefit translational research
in ovarian cancer, conducted by Dr. Walter Gotlieb at
the JGH. The event, sponsored by Chris-Ann Nakis
and Baton Rouge, 1050 rue de la Montagne, attracted
more than 500 women who enjoyed delicious appetizers,
lunch, champagne, wine and dessert, a live auction,
bingo, raffles and a chance to win fabulous door
prizes. The event’s success is due to the tireless effort
of Co-chairs Judy Lazar and Marilyn Biber-Zidel
and their dedicated and passionate committee,
known as “Gloria’s Girls”.
B
Ruth and Avrum Drazin are joined by family and friends to
celebrate the dedication of the Ruth and Avrum Drazin Library
at the Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research.
Family cookbook aids JGH
Hockey tournament
shoots and scores
y the time the final bell sounded at the 1st
Annual Lila Sigal Marathon Hockey Tournament, over $43,000 had been raised by 44 players
at the Bonaventure Hockey Arena (courtesy of Gerald
Issenman). Proceeds of the event on Sept. 10, 2005,
will support the McGill Cancer Nutrition-Rehabilitation Program at the JGH’s new Segal Cancer
Centre. Co-chairs, David Sigal and Farrel Miller,
came up with the idea for the tournament to honour
David’s late mother, Lila, who died of pancreatic cancer
in 2004. The winning team was Chateau D’argent,
which David captained.
B
Family and friends of the late Antonio Perazzelli are thanked
by JGH Foundation members for their outstanding efforts to
raise funds for the Antonio Perazzelli Memorial Fund. The
Perazzelli family published a cookbook, which is selling like hotcakes, to raise money for the JGH.
Au service de tous.
JGH NEWS
23
PLANNED GIVING
Lifestyle advice from a best-selling author
ou Can Make Yourself Younger” was the theme of a special
event on Nov. 14, 2005, in the hospital’s new Pavilion H
(property previously owned by Les Soeurs de SainteCroix). The invited speaker, Dr. Michael Roizen, author of the
bestselling You – The Owner’s Manual and other New York Times
best-sellers, educated and entertained over 150 invited guests,
demonstrating how lifestyle choices do, to a large extent, affect
our health and happiness. What your genes do can be governed by
your actions! The importance of ensuring healthcare excellence at
the JGH was also emphasized. Dr. Roizen is a frequent guest on
popular television shows, such as Oprah, The Today Show, 20/20,
and Good Morning America.
An initiative of Barry Pascal, Chair of the JGH Foundation’s
Planned Giving Committee, and Bill Bell, both of Bell Pascal
Financial Services, the evening was thoroughly enjoyed by all, as
was a book signing where Dr. Roizen autographed each guest’s
copy of his latest book. Generous sponsors who made this evening
possible include Bell Pascal Financial Services, Telus Mobility and
Wasserman Stotland Bratt Grossbaum. Thanks also to Investors
Group, Group Santé Westmount Square Health Group, Dr. Barry
Goldenberg and Etmo Catering Services Ltd. for their support.
To find out more about planned giving opportunities, please
contact Beverly Kravitz, Director of Planned Giving, at 514-3408222, local 4123 or bkravitz@fon.jgh.mcgill.ca. Beverly would be
pleased to meet with you and/or your professionals to discuss
charitable gifting opportunities.
Y
“
Angel Ball … heavenly
he memory and inspiring
example of Natalie Ann
Toussaint were honoured at
the Angel Ball, a dazzling event on
Sept. 21, 2005, that raised more than
$600,000 in support of the new
Segal Cancer Centre. Organized by
the NAT Foundation, the Angel Ball
was a tribute by more than 400
friends and supporters to the
vibrant and vital Natalie, who lost
her battle with inflammatory breast
cancer in 2003.
The Angel Ball, co-chaired by
George Angelopoulos and Joy
Berkson Korenberg, was a feast for
the taste buds and eyes, treating
guests to a fashion show, baladi
dancers, and live and silent auctions. The organizing committee is
already planning this year’s event,
and would love you to join them
for another wonderful evening in
Natalie’s memory.
T
24
SPRING 2006
(From left) Louis Grossbaum, Alvin Fagen,
Dr. Michael Roizen, Imre Weinberger and
Charles Leibovich.
(From left) Arnold Isaacson, Barry Pascal,
Dana Bell, Dr. Michael Roizen and Bill Bell.
RECENT EVENTS
The Côte Saint-Luc Youth Softball
League’s Poker Tournament raised
$10,000 in support of research into
inflammatory bowel disease.
The TURQwise Evening for Ovarian
Cancer Research raised over $19,000
in honour of Linda Valente.
The 1st Annual Cure Scleroderma
Foundation Gala, hosted by Pierina
Nero, raised $72,000.
The 1st MOI Fundraising Day at
Schwartz’s Deli raised $125,000. MOI,
the Montreal Ovarian Cancer Initiative, is
a collaborative effort between the JGH’s
Segal Cancer Centre and the CHUM’s
Institut du cancer de Montréal. Principal
investigators are Drs. Walter Gotlieb and
Diane Provencher.
Care For All.
UPCOMING EVENTS
May 13
The Evening of Small Miracles
The second edition of this dazzling event,
in support of the JGH’s Department of
Neonatology, returns to Le Madison
Reception Hall in St. Leonard. The evening
includes a gourmet dinner, silent auction,
dancing to the fabulous sounds of the
Showmen Orchestra, and more! Tickets
are $250 per person. For more information, please contact Adrianna at the
Foundation at 514-340-8222, local 2549.
June 17
Evening in Athens
This year’s proceeds from the Evening in
Athens, to be held at the Centre MontRoyal, will go to the Division of Plastic
and Reconstructive Surgery. The Department’s Chief, Dr. Tassos Dionisopoulos,
will also be honoured for contributing to
the well-being of cancer patients through
his amazing reconstructive work. For
more information, please contact Muriel
at the Foundation at 514-340-8222, local
4121.