The Never Ending Story
We would like to recognize the Women's League for Israel. They have been a great supporter of Aforam and so far have donated over $1.200,000 to Rambam.
Please read about the history of 'Women's League for Israel and their donation to Aforam/Rambam, in our section of RECOGNITION.
CALLING ALL BABIES
A Special Birth at Rambam
Dr. Henry Guralnick was born at Rambam Hospital many many years ago.
In October, his daughter Dr. Amy Giannotti-Guralnick- called The American Friends of Rambam in New York to discuss a special gift for a special birthday.
Dr. Guralnick initially wanted to purchase a bench in the gardens at Rambam with a plaque for her father, unfortunately, there is major renovation being done and the garden has been removed temporarily.
After hearing of this Dr. Giannotti-Guralnick with the assistance of American Friends of Rambam, www.aforam.org decided that the symbolic gift would be to purchase a “sofa” with a plaque in the “Maternity Ward” The sofa along with the plaque will be placed in The Premature Babies Unit for the mothers to sit in comfort while feeding their newborns.
This lovely gift by Dr. Henry Guralnick’s family, his daughter Amy, her husband Giovanni, and their daughter Sasha has made moments like these one to treasure. In May, Dr. Henry Guralnick and his daughter Amy will visit Rambam for the dedication.
If you would like to celebrate a special birth with Rambam, please make a donation today!
VOICES SING IN SUPPORT OF RAMBAM
The KOL HANESHAMA (meaning the voice of the soul in Hebrew) Music Festival proved to be a resounding hit for American Friends of Rambam (AFORAM) In the Greater Boston Metropolitan Area this Chanukah season.
"Now in it's fourth year, KOL HANESHAMA has raised not only our community's spirit but also thousands of dollars for Rambam Medical Center" says TRUDY FAGEN, Arts Coordinator at Solomon Schechter Day School of Greater Boston and the Festival's organizer. "It teaches our children that through their artistic efforts, ‘TIKKUN OLAM’ can be accomplished."
And the fund-raising efforts at the concert, along with all donations made to AFORAM, have a direct impact on Rambam Health Care Campus' ambitious plans. Under the leadership of DR. RAFAEL BEYAR, CEO and Director General of Rambam, the Health Care Campus is reinventing itself as a 21st century “hospital of the future”: A three level underground garage that converts into a fortified, emergency hospital is in the works; A revolutionary Robotics Center to perform complex, minimally invasive procedures is being established; A Biomedical Discovery Tower is planned for the years to come.
The money raised at the Kol HaNeshama Music Festival gives children in a place as far from Israel as Boston a chance to participate in the life-changing care that Rambam Health Care Campus practices in Haifa. For the full story of the festival and its impact on Rambam and the Boston Jewish community, as written by Robin JR Blatt, please click here.
Welcome ETI GANIN, Our Midwest Volunteer Rep!
Eti immigrated to Israel in 1972 from the former Soviet Union. She has an undergraduate degree in Physics from Leningrad (St. Petersburg ) Technical University and received a Master of Science degree at the Technion, under the supervision of professor Abraham Rosen in 1976.
Eti lived in Geneva, and London in 1977-1980, where her husband Alex worked as a Service Manager for Elscint.
She returned to Israel in 1980, and in 1984 she was awarded her Doctorate at the Technion, Material Engineering Department. Her thesis advisor was Professor Yigal Komem. Eti then completed her post-doctorate studies at IBM, Thomas Watson Research Center, New York, and remained at IBM as a Research Staff Member and Advisory Engineer until 1994.
She spent a one-year sabbatical at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, where she was as a Visiting professor in 1991-1992. Eti then took a job with GE, Medical Systems (currently GE Healthcare) and moved to Wisconsin in 1994, where she worked as a Senior Materials Engineer in the X-ray tubes, and CT Detectors divisions.
Eti has been awarded 6 patents and while at IBM published over 40 scientific papers. She has been a recipient of numerous Technical Awards both at IBM and GE. She has taken an early retirement option to be able to join her husband Alex in his extensive travels as a chief engineer at General Electric Healthcare.
Eti and Alex have raised two sons, Hagai and Dan. Both sons were born at Rambam Hospital in 1974 and 1981, respectively. Both sons were born prematurely (at 32 weeks of pregnancy) by a C-section, and remained hospitalized at the incubator for a number of weeks.Eti and Alex are forever grateful to Dr. Peretz and Rambam for the medical miracle they accomplished.
If you’re in the Mid-West, and you want more information on American Friends of Rambam, please contact Eti!
Telephone: 414-964-2727
Email: etiganin@gmail.com
RAMBAM CLOWNS AROUND - THE MEDICAL CLOWN PROJECT
The need
Rambam Medical Center currently employs three medical clowns, who work a total of 18 hours per week. Needless to say, demand is much greater, and the presence of a clown is of great importance for children undergoing difficult treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy in the Oncology department or in the departments of surgery, before and after the surgical intervention.
For the benefit and wellbeing of children and families, Rambam Medical Center requests your assistance in financing five medical clowns for a period of five years.
If you would like to contribute to this vital program, please visit our "How You Can Help" section and click on "Chanukah Gelt For Health!" Here you will be able to make a contribution to Rambam's "Clown Around" program.
Background
"Medical clowns" are a new field in hospitals and medical centers.
Medical clowns use skills such as magic, balloon sculpting and storytelling to treat children with doses of fun to help them deal with the physical difficulties and range of emotions they may experience while in hospital – fear, anxiety, loneliness, boredom. The emphasis is on interaction with the patients and their families. The goal is to help bring healing to children and adults through laughter, compassion, and joy.
The medical clowns are BA graduates in Theater who participate in specially-designed courses in the field of nursing in order to integrate their unique skills into the hospital environment. They create distraction, so the patient won't feel his pain and can fly with them to fantasy lands.
This is actually a type of therapy – "clown therapy".
Cost:
Employment of five medical clowns per year: $ 60,000
Employment of five medical clowns for five years: $ 300,000
Recognition
A plaque recognizing the donor will be set on the Donors' wall of the Children hospital.
From Ha'Emek Medical Center...
"Laughter heals. It is known that a medical clown appearing at the side of a sick patient, child or adult, at the opportune moment often transforms the treatment experience into a pleasant and memorable one - for the patient, the family and the attending medical staff. These wonderful clowns have the ability to bring smiles & laughter to children when they are worried, in pain or vulnerable in what is to them an uncertain hospital environment. The therapeutic magic of these clowns is a radiant asset and this heart-warming service should be more lovingly available to our Pediatric Emergency Services, Pediatric Surgical and Internal Medicine Wards and Oncology Department."
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