Friends Of Sheba Medical Center Inc

AFSMC RAISES FUNDS TO SUPPORT SHEBA MEDICAL CENTER, ONE OF THE TOP TEN HOSPITALS IN THE WORLD.THROUGHOUT THE YEARS, AMERICAN FRIENDS OF SHEBA MEDICAL CENTER HAS SHOWN INCREDIBLE DEDICATION TO THE INNOVATIVE AND INTEGRATED MEDICAL CARE THAT SHEBA MEDICAL CENTER PROVIDES TO EACH AND EVERY PATIENT. OUR PARTNERSHIP HELPS SHEBA TO DELIVER THE HIGHEST STANDARDS OF MEDICINE, RESEARCH, AND TECHNOLOGY BENEFITTING ISRAEL AND THE ENTIRE WORLD.

1. AFSMC GIVEN $2M COMMITMENT FOR THE TALPIOT PROGRAMSHEBA'S UNIQUE TALPIOT PROGRAM IS NOT ONLY GROOMING THE NEXT GENERATION OF SHEBA MEDICAL LEADERSHIP, BUT MEDICAL LEADERSHIP FOR ISRAEL AND INDEED GLOBAL HEALTH CARE. IT IS A TWO-YEAR PROGRAM THAT TAKES 7-9 NEW MEMBERS EVERY 2 YEARS. EACH "TALPIONNAIRE," AS PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS ARE AFFECTIONATELY KNOWN, RECEIVES A SIGNIFICANT SCHOLARSHIP OVER FIVE YEARS (IN ADDITION TO HIS/HER SALARY AS A PHYSICIAN IN THE HOSPITAL). THEY ARE ACCOMPANIED THROUGHOUT THEIR WORK AND RESEARCH BY AN ASSIGNED MENTOR, DRAWN FROM THE MOST SENIOR AND OUTSTANDING RANKS OF SHEBA FACULTY. THE MENTOR IS RESPONSIBLE FOR GUIDING THE TALPIONNAIRE IN HIS OR HER WORK, AS WELL AS SERVING AS AN ADVOCATE WITHIN THE SHEBA SYSTEM FOR NEW IDEAS ADVANCED BY THE PARTICIPANT. THE PROGRAM ALSO PROVIDES PARTICIPANTS WITH A BROAD EDUCATION IN HUMAN RELATIONS, PERSONAL SKILLS DEVELOPMENT, EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES, JEWISH CULTURE, PHILOSOPHY, ART AND MORE. THOUGH A SERIES OF BI-WEEKLY AND MONTHLY MEETINGS AND FIELD TRIPS, PARTICIPANTS ALSO ARE EXPOSED TO A RANGE OF HIGH-LEVEL LECTURERS AND SENIOR OFFICIALS IN MEDICINE AND HEALTHCARE, FROM ISRAEL AND ABROAD. TALPIOT AWARDEES HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH AND LEARN FROM THE BEST MINDS. HARRY GROSS, A PAST GENEROUS DONOR TO SHEBA, MADE A $2M FOUR-YEAR COMMITMENT TO THE TALPIOT PROGRAM.2. THE SORKIN-SETTON FAMILY PLEDGES $600,000 FOR RESEARCH INTO PSP.PROGRESSIVE SUPRA-NUCLEAR PALSY IS A DEGENERATIVE DISEASE OF THE MOTOR NEURON SYSTEM, SIMILAR TO ALS. IT IS PROGRESSIVELY SERIOUS IN ITS SYMPTOMS, ALWAYS FATAL, AND HAS AN AVERAGE LIFE-SPAN OF FIVE YEARS AFTER DIAGNOSIS. WHILE IT AFFECTS MANY THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE AROUND THE GLOBE, IT DOES NOT CLAIM ENOUGH VICTIMS TO INTEREST THE MAJOR DRUG COMPANIES. A PHILANTHROPIC FAMILY APPROACHED AFSMC STAFF WILLING TO PROVIDE MAJOR FUNDING IF SHEBA WERE PURSUING RESEARCH. AS IT TURNS OUT, A RESEARCHER AT SHEBA HAD BEEN CONSIDERING THE POSSIBILITY OF USING GENE THERAPY ON THE DISEASE. THE MALADY IS GENERATED BY A FAULTY GENETIC INSTRUCTION FOR THE BRAIN TO PRODUCE TOO MUCH OF A CERTAIN KIND OF PROTEIN. THE FAMILY MADE AT FIRST A $600,000 THREE YEAR COMMITMENT, TO WHICH THEY AND FRIENDS ADDED ANOTHER $150,000, TOWARD THE $1M NEEDED. THEY CHALLENGED AFSMC STAFF TO RAISE THE REST. HOWEVER, THE WORK HAS COMMENCED AND IS ON A FAST TRACK AT SHEBA, AND IF SUCCESSFUL, COULD OPEN THE DOOR TO GENE THERAPY ON SIMILAR ILLNESSES.3. $3.5M IS CONTRIBUTED TOWARD THE NEW ONCOLOGY HOSPITALSHEBA IS A WORLD LEADER IN MANY ASPECTS OF CANCER TREATMENT. DR. TALIA GOLAN IS AN INTERNATIONALLY KNOWN NAME IN PANCREATIC CANCER AND THE BRCA MUTATION. SHEBA ALSO HAS BEEN A LEADER IN FREEZING CANCER CELLS IN BREAST AND PROSTATE CANCER, AMONG OTHER TREATMENTS. HOWEVER, THE CURRENT ONCOLOGY BUILDING IS NOT UP TO THE NEEDS OF THE PROGRAM AND PATIENTS AND THE MEDICAL CENTER IS DRAWING UP PLANS FOR A MAJOR NEW BUILDING TO HOUSE ALL CANCER TREATMENT, RADIATION THERAPY, SCREENING, ETC. TRUPER, A MAJOR CORPORATION OWNED BY THE JUSIDMAN FAMILY, MADE A DECISION TO PROVIDE AN INITIAL $3.5M CASH CONTRIBUTION TOWARD THE CONSTRUCTION, WITH OTHER GIFTS EXPECTED TO FOLLOW.