|
|
|
 |
Friends of the Lymphoma Foundation, and members of the Board are an integral part of the heart and soul of what makes this nation the greatest nation of them all, because it is the extraordinary, selfless contributions of each and every one of us that moves the wheels of science forward and the chance for a cancer-free life. Despite the current threat to our very existence by violent acts of terrorism we remain steadfast in the knowledge that we will be triumphant and we will continue to survive in a free society. |
|
|
|
|
Mortimer J. Lacher, M.D. William D. Zabel, Esq. Martin Zausner |
|
|
Andrew J. Bresnahan Tricia C. Bresnahan Robert P. Castrignano Morton Coleman, M.D. Raymond L. Comenzo, M.D.Janice L. Gabrilove, M.D. William R. Gruver Marvin Hochberg Karen Hughes Sandy Levin John P. Leonard, M.D. J. Andrew McEntire Simone J. McEntire Edward Moresco Craig H. Moskowitz, M.D. Kenneth Offit, M.D., M.P.H. Nancy B. Rooney Anthony Scaramucci Lisa T. Scaramucci David A. Scheinberg, M.D., Ph.D. Emily B. Sonnenblick, M.D. Deanne R. Spiegel Marcel van den Brink, M.D., Ph.D. Raymond P. Warrell, Jr., M.D. Joachim Yahalom, M.D. Andrew D. Zelenetz, M.D., Ph.D.
ABOUT THE ACADEMIC POSITIONS
AND RESEARCH INTERESTS OF TWO NEW BOARD MEMBERS Marcel R. M. van den Brink, MD, PhD, holds the Alan N. Houghton Chair at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and is the Head, Division of Hematologic Oncology. Dr. van den Brink earned his MD and PhD degrees from Leiden University, in the Netherlands. He was a resident at Duke University Medical Center and held a fellowship at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. He joined Memorial Sloan-Kettering in 1999. He is an expert in allogeneic (donor provided) blood stem cell transplantation for adult cancer patients. As a physician-scientist, he also heads a laboratory in the Sloan-Kettering Institute Immunology Program. His laboratory’s major research explores strategies to enhance post-transplant immune reconstitution to improve outcomes for transplant patients. SR. KATHLEEN TONER EDWARD SPIEGEL JOAN ROONEY DAVID M. KLEIN ELLEN LEVIN Homage to Ellen Levin an esteemed Board Member of the Lymphoma Foundation and a wonderful friend Sunday, November 29, 2009 EMAIL MESSAGE FROM: DIANA and MORTIMER LACHER
DEAR SANDY, SUSAN and MARCIA, Diana and I
have been out of touch over this Thanksgiving holiday and we just got home
(it’s midnight Sunday November 29) and we heard the heart rending message
of Sandy that Ellen had passed away on Saturday afternoon. We loved Ellen. We loved hearing her deep reassuring voice and learning that after each relapse of her lymphoma… with the help of a new medication or a new combination of medicines… she was recovering. Ellen’s continuing strength and high spirit in the face of many setbacks gave us hope that she would always recover. She survived heart attacks and abdominal surgeries and bouts of debilitating back pain and managed all of those events in addition to remaining under treatment for lymphocytic leukemia for ten years.
Ellen and her husband, Sandy, worked together for years at a successful business and they also cared and supported philanthropic causes to maintain the preservation of wildlife, offering opportunities to first-generation college students, and contributing to the support of research for lymphoma and leukemia and other charitable pursuits.
The last time we were with Ellen was in New York City where she was conferring with Dr. John Leonard about her next course of leukemia treatment. Sandy and Ellen flew in from their home in Houston, saw Dr. Leonard at New York Hospital… and then went to the hotel to get ready to return the next morning for home. Ellen was too weak to venture out of the hotel for dinner in a restaurant. Instead Diana and I visited Sandy and Ellen in their hotel room and brought them (and us) “take out” from Carnegie Deli. We had our own unique dining experience of a fun meal that topped anything available from room service.
We loved Ellen’s upbeat email messages and admired her determination… that despite her disabling medical problems she continued her travels to so many places in the USA, Mexico, Africa and all over Europe and even China… as if nothing bothered her. We loved to know where Ellen and Sandy had been or were going… as Diana and I could enjoy their trips… vicariously. One of Ellen’s last email messages to us outlined her very recent fun time on the Gulf Coast. There was the sound of joy in her message… because she had a brief period of relaxation in the middle of some difficult treatments.
Ellen remained stalwart throughout many difficult chemotherapy treatments, heart attacks and life threatening infections while Sandy, her special friend and husband, stood by her side, assisting her at every turn.
Diana and I were fortunate to know Ellen, fortunate to be touched by her strong spirit of life and now we mourn her passing. ***DAVID M. KLEIN
The most important part of David’s memoir was his expression of his philosophy of life… that included lessons for all of us to heed… and especially as he summarized in his “Conclusion.” “With the right perspective we should be able to appreciate life in both good and difficult times. Life is more savory when we don't take things for granted, which unfortunately is all too easily done. Life is less savory when we lose our sense of proportion and ability to identify what is and what is not a big deal. It is particularly easy to fall prey to taking things for granted when you have never experienced significant injury, illness or adversity. Those of you in this category ought to be sure to step back and appreciate what you have and what you can achieve. My experiences have taught me that we have significant innate abilities to deal with injuries, illnesses and exceedingly difficult circumstances in healthy productive manners. In such situations we should count on ourselves as much as anyone else. As cliché as it is, once we face a difficult situation we will probably come through as stronger, better people with a greater sense of what is truly important and what is chaff. To that end it is important to distinguish between keeping a positive outlook and hoping for the best, from embracing irrationally positive expectations which can result in our making poor choices. We need to believe that exceptional results can be obtained, but have rational expectations based on our circumstances. I have faith that when we have the right perspective, reach for the extraordinary, but accept our limitations, we will achieve gratifying lives.” As one of David’s early medical consultants and later getting to know him as a friend I weep at the loss of this young man cut down so early in the course of his life. Mortimer J. Lacher, M.D **Sr.
Kathleen Toner, an esteemed member of the Lymphoma Foundation Board died, on
November 11, 2003 and the Board members take this
moment to reflect on the extraordinary life of Sr. Kathleen Toner. Her gentle kindness to all persons and wise counsel was deeply appreciated by all who were fortunate to know her. A MEMORIAL TRIBUTE TO Sr. KATHLEEN TONER 1944–2003 What would she want us to say? What would she want us to do about remembering her life? She would want us to be silent. She would insist on self-effacement and quiet. But our voices cry out and our hearts weep over the death and the loss of this gentle but powerful woman. If you can imagine how a physician can find a deep inner warmth for his patients… those who survive and those who are lost… to cancers that the physician was determined to cure… then you can imagine the intense feelings I had for Kathleen. And I was not alone in my special love for Kathleen. I shared that love with all who knew her and who received her help in both practical and spiritual ways either as the founder and developer of Samaritan House for abused women and children or as a first-class research assistant when we worked together analyzing the data regarding the uniquely successful RT-TVPP radiation chemotherapy combination or the recording of the marvelous miracle of post-chemotherapy successful pregnancies enjoyed by so many young women or as she applied her compassionate understanding of human nature to give needed counsel to so many men, women and children in their time of woe and social desperation. In the end as in the beginning when Kathleen first appeared twenty-five years ago for treatment of her stage IV Hodgkin’s disease that had invaded her lungs and so many other parts of her body… she fought to survive … and until that final illness she repeatedly rose up from almost certain death to accomplish great societal works. It is with gratitude that we incorporate Kathleen’s example of the best in human behavior and adopt her willful presence into our own sense of being… that allows us to carry her spirit forward in ourselves and to pass this on to our children and their children to be sure to eventually achieve the ideal world of Kathleen’s hopes and dreams. — Mortimer J. Lacher, M.D. |
|
|
|
|
|
Ed was a caring and loving husband and father and an extraordinary role model to his children Elana and Brad and a pillar of support and devotion to his wife, Deanne, and to his large extended family and especially to his sister, Bobby, and her husband, Saul. Ed contributed his compelling energy, his compassionate nature and his personal resources to help so many of his friends, his family and countless anonymous persons who benefited from his generosity and expert knowledge. |
|
|
|
|
In continuing recognition of our deep, personal love for Ed and appreciation for all that Ed was able to accomplish through his dedicated efforts for so many persons with lymphoma and other forms of cancer... we would like you to know that we will continue to dedicate the resources of the Lymphoma Foundation in a manner that will keep his goals in sight... to continue supporting a wide range of innovative clinical and basic cancer research and we will continue to be available to you as a source to help you find the best treatment options for your loved ones… just as Ed would have asked us to do. |
|
|
***JOAN ROONEY
|
|
|
Mortimer J. Lacher, M.D., F.A.C.P.
|
|
|
HOME SCIENTISTS RESEARCH EVENTS BOARD FELLOWS BREAST CANCER PUBLICATIONS CONTACT US
The Lymphoma Foundation is a nationwide not for profit foundation dedicated to funding clinical and basic laboratory cancer research and applying the knowledge developed by the clinician scientists for the general welfare and education of all cancer patients. © Copyright 2006 THE LYMPHOMA FOUNDATION All rights reserved |
|
When
David Klein died on July 5, 2006
In May 1978 Kathleen was diagnosed with widespread stage IVB Hodgkin’s
disease. With the institution of combination chemotherapy (TVPP-Thiotepa,
Velban, Prednisone and Procarbazine) and additional radiation therapy she was
able to survive for 25 1/2 years until late occurring complications secondary to
the radiation therapy created the progression of cardio-pulmonary failure that
led to her death. Sister Toner not only contributed to the scientific literature
regarding the use of unique forms of chemotherapy and the analysis of pregnancy
and birth after treatment for Hodgkin’s disease but she carried out a life-long
service to abused women and children as she founded and maintained a unique home
for these individuals in Samaritan House in Brooklyn, New York. 
There
is a special note of tragedy added to the Brian Rooney Run this year
(2006) because Joan Rooney, Brian's mother, who was also afflicted with a
non-Hodgkin's lymphoma died in September 2005. Joan Rooney
participated in the start of the Rooney Run eight years ago to raise
funds for lymphoma research and she continued to participate each
year to achieve its success. Joan Rooney's contribution in helping
to make the Rooney Run a valuable asset... that added research grants
to assist in finding the ultimate cure for all persons with
lymphoma... will be missed. At the same time... the extraordinary
participation and generosity of the volunteers, friends and
relatives of the Rooney family and other participants and the
special contribution by the Lymphoma Foundation will continue in
honor of the memory of Brian and Joan Rooney.
