Inside Sinai

a growing concern: working to halt cancer’s spreaddr. carol swallow

f a l l /w i n t e r

2 0 0 9

a dva n c i n g s a r co m a t r e atm e n t Pa s s i o n fo r r e s e a r c h a fa m i ly t r a d i t i o n

letter from leadership

Medical research is changing rapidly. More and more, scientists and physicians are realizing the importance of working together towards improved outcomes for patients, as well as a greater understanding of health and disease. Col-laboration between scientists and physicians often results in what is called “translational medicine,” meaning a research partnership that translates science into improved front-line care for patients.

This issue of Inside Sinai reflects some of the newest and most exciting advancements at Mount Sinai Hospital and the Samuel lunenfeld research institute — particularly in the field of health research.

translational medicine ensures that clinical information from patients informs basic lab research, and vice versa, resulting in a more rapid and beneficial transfer of basic science research to clinical applications. You can read about one of Mount Sinai Hospital’s truly translational medicine projects that is supported by philanthropy on page 10.

and while this issue of Inside Sinai highlights some of the lunenfeld’s most recent advances, it also reflects its rich history. On pages 8-9 you will find the story of how one family’s passion for research helped build one of the world’s leading research institutes.

we know that you will find this edition both relevant and informative — research is the key to unlocking the mysteries of human health and disease, and we are proud of our researchers and doctors, who together are poised to transform health care as we know it. for more information about our initiatives, please visit our website at www.mountsinai.ca. to support our work and join our family of generous donors, please visit www.supportsinai.ca or call us at 416-586-8203.

Sincerely,

Jackie DeSouza E D i t o r - i n - C h i E f

Michael Power E D i t o r

Cecilia Mok a r t D i r E C t o r

Contributing writers: frances Bartlett Melissa McDermott allison Mullin Matthew Peltomaki Michael Power Emily robb Catherine Shannon

Photography: Sid tabak Photography

Inside Sinai welcomes your feedback. Please contact us: the Editor Inside Sinai Mount Sinai hospital Joseph and Wolf Lebovic health Complex 341 – 600 University avenue toronto, ontario M5g 1x5 t 416-586-5065 f 416-586-8555 [email protected]

Michael BregmanCo-Chair, Board of DirectorsMount Sinai Hospital foundation

lawrence BloombergChair, Board of Directors Mount Sinai Hospital

Bob rubinoffCo-Chair, Board of DirectorsMount Sinai Hospital foundation

Joseph MapaPresident and CeO Mount Sinai Hospital

Susan HorvathPresidentMount Sinai Hospital foundation

Inside Sinai is also available online at www.mountsinai.ca/about_us/publications.

Inside Sinai presents an inside look at the people, innovations and research helping to make a difference in the lives of patients and their families. it is produced by the Mount Sinai hospital foundation.

On the cover: the Sydney C. Cooper Program for the Prevention of Cancer Progression is a unique program of Mount Sinai hospital that is bridging basic health research and clinical research. the result is hope for cancer patients whose disease has spread. Pictured on the cover is Dr. Carol Swallow, Surgical oncologist and Clinical Scientist at Mount Sinai, who specializes in treating colorectal cancer.

for the latest information on events and programs, please visit www.mountsinai.ca or www.mshfoundation.ca. to donate, please visit www.supportsinai.ca.

in this issue

Drs. Rebecca Gladdy and Jay Wunder are helping to build bridges between research and care in Mount Sinai’s Sarcoma Program.

Growing Our Understanding of Cancer that SpreadsMetastatic cancer, or cancer that spreads to another part of the body, is often inoperable, and it usually cannot be cured through other treatments like chemotherapy or radiation. work being done by Mount Sinai researchers aims to stop metastatic cancer in its tracks. Pa g e 1 0

Mount Sinai’s World-Renowned Sarcoma Program uses Research to Advance Treatmentled by Dr. Jay wunder, physicians at Mount Sinai’s Sarcoma Program treat patients with cancers of the connective tissue. Their research has led to significant advances in the care sar-coma patients receive. Pa g e 1 6

Passion for Research a Family TraditionSamuel lunenfeld played a pivotal role in expanding Mount Sinai and in the creation of the Hospital’s research facility. His family has continued that tradition, helping “the lunenfeld” become one of the world’s best research institutes. Page 8

f e at u r e s

fa c e s i n t h e k n o wMount Sinai’s Commitment to excellence resonates with Board Co-Chairs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7a “Sweet Spot” for Young Scientists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15Supporting Healthy Pregnancies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18fabulous Philanthropy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

notes from the inside . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Photo Gallery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4ask the expert. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

from the inside

02 inSiDE Sinai

notes

Jason Macartney, a respiratory therapist in

the Valentine neonatal intensive Care Unit

(niCU), won the anderson award from the

University of toronto’s Wightman-Berris

academy in the faculty of Medicine. the

award honours the best teachers across all

health disciplines from Mount Sinai and the

University health network, which includes

Princess Margaret, toronto Western and

toronto general hospitals.

the american thyroid association (ata)

awarded Dr. Paul Walfish the 2009 John

B. Stanbury Pathophysiology award for his

outstanding research contributions to the

understanding of thyroid physiology and

thyroid disease. the award is given annually

to a researcher who has made a major impact

on research or clinical practice. Dr. Walfish is

the first endocrinologist to win all three top

major awards for outstanding contributions to

thyroidology from the ata.

two Mount Sinai

psychiatrists won

teaching awards from

the University of

toronto’s Department

of Psychiatry.

Dr. Paula Ravitz, above left, Psychiatrist and

acting head of Mount Sinai’s Psychotherapy

institute and associate head of the

Psychotherapy Program for the University

of toronto’s Department of Psychiatry, won

the allan tennen award for Excellence in

the Supervision of Psychotherapy.

Dr. Sian Rawkins, above right, Psychiatrist

and head of Mount Sinai’s ambulatory

Psychiatry Program, received the rob

hunter award for outstanding achievement

in Postgraduate Education.

neonatologist Dr. Connie Williams received

the KJr Wightman award for Scholarship in

Ethics from the royal College of Physicians and

Surgeons of Canada for her paper on the unique

and challenging aspects of difficult decision-

making in the niCU. the scholarship is awarded

for the best scholarly paper presented by a

resident registered in a postgraduate program.

Mount Sinai celebrated the grand opening of its new state-of-the-art

Centre for Fertility & Reproductive Health on June 17, 2009. the

Centre, which includes expanded research space, an embryology lab

and a viral program for patients infected with hiV and hepatitis B and

C, is the largest full-service fertility centre in the greater toronto area.

aWa R D S & R e CO g n i t i O n

e v e n t S

Mount Sinai came away a winner at the Hold ‘em for Life poker

tournament, on april 23. held at the four Seasons hotel, the event was

a tremendous success, drawing 300 participants and raising $850,000

for equipment used for cancer care at Mount Sinai and Princess

Margaret hospitals. to date, hold ‘em for Life has raised $2.5 million.

Dr. andras nagy was profiled in the first-

annual Scientific american top 10 honor

roll. the only Canadian selected, Dr. nagy

shared the honour with U.S. President Barack

obama, Bill gates, Michael Bloomberg and

other luminaries in the July 2009 issue of the

magazine. in March 2009, Dr. nagy revealed

a new method of creating stem cells from

adult cells that could lead to possible cures for

several devastating diseases, including spinal

cord injury, macular degeneration, diabetes

and Parkinson’s disease.

Karen Muller, a registered nurse in Labour

and Delivery, was one of three “honourable

nominees” for the toronto Star’s 2009

nightingale award. the award is given each

year to a nurse who has touched patients’ lives.

Muller was nominated by a former patient.

Dr. thomas Stewart

became Mount Sinai’s

Physician-in-Chief in July

2009 and now holds

the Sandra and Lionel

Waldman family Chair

for the Physician-in-Chief. for the past 10

years, Dr. Stewart has ensured excellent clinical

care, education and research in the intensive

Care Unit. he replaces Dr. allan Detsky, who

held the position for the previous 12 years.

Dr. Daniel Durocher,

Principal investigator at

the Samuel Lunenfeld

research institute

and thomas Kierans

research Chair in

Mechanisms of Cancer Development, was the

2009 recipient of the Lloyd S.D. fogler, QC,

award of Excellence. the award is presented

annually to an investigator whose research

has had a significant international impact.

Dr. Durocher and his team discovered a new

means by which cells communicate and repair

damage to their Dna, giving insight into what

goes wrong in cells that become cancerous.

03inSiDE Sinai

the 2009 Mount Sinai Hospital Classic golf tournament raised

$350,000 for cancer research at the Samuel Lunenfeld research

institute. held on June 22 at Wyndance golf Club, the event included

live and silent auctions. in 15 years, the tournament has raised more

than $2.5 million in support of groundbreaking research, patient care

and education at Mount Sinai hospital.

B y a l l i s o n m u l l i n

the Mount Sinai Hospital auxiliary gala 2009 was held on May 14

at the Direct Energy Centre, Exhibition Place. the evening featured

entertainment by legendary group Earth, Wind & Fire, and silent

and live auctions. funds raised at the event help fund the auxiliary’s

$2-million advancing e-Meds pledge.

Dr. Katherine Siminovitch, Senior

investigator and Sherman family research

Chair in genomic Medicine at the Samuel

Lunenfeld research institute, Director

of the fred a. Litwin family Centre in

genetic Medicine, Mount Sinai hospital &

University health network, and Director

of genomic Medicine at the University

health network, discovered a new genetic

pathway or road map that could provide

personalized treatment options for patients

with a devastating liver disease called

primary biliary cirrhosis, offering hope to

those suffering with liver disease and other

autoimmune diseases.

in a study published in The Journal of

Nutrition, Dr. alexander Logan discovered

that the quality of a person’s diet can be

assessed through a test analyzing potassium

levels in their urine, providing a new and easy

way for physicians to check the overall quality

of their patients’ diets and help them improve

long-term health.

Dr. greg Ryan,

Maternal-fetal

Medicine Specialist at

Mount Sinai, together

with Dr. Edgar Jaeggi

at the hospital for Sick

Children, successfully led a heart intervention

on an unborn baby. the medical team

inserted a needle through the mother’s

abdomen to expand the valve leading to the

baby’s aorta. Left untreated, the infant would

have developed a lifelong cardiac condition

and shortened lifespan.

neonatologist Dr. Prakesh Shah and

colleagues released a study in the Canadian

Medical association Journal concluding that

pregnant women who take multivitamin

supplements had a reduced risk of giving birth

to babies with low birth weights. Low birth

weight — 2.5 kilograms or less — increases

the likelihood that infants will be admitted

to the neonatal intensive care unit, need

multiple procedures, develop infections and

puts the infants at a higher risk of mortality.

Dr. John Roder,

Senior investigator at

the Samuel Lunenfeld

research institute,

developed a method to

prevent epilepsy caused

by a gene defect in mice, which may herald

new therapies for those with the condition.

the study was published august 3 in the US

Journal Proceedings of the National Academy

of Sciences (PNAS) and gives evidence that a

faulty version of a gene called atp1a3 causes

epileptic seizures in mice. also, Dr. roder

and PhD candidate Bechara Saab discovered

a molecular link between intelligence and

curiosity. the scientists took a protein and

increased it by 50 per cent in a small area of

the brain called the dentate gyrus in mice. this

gave the mice superior memory in complex

tasks and a significant increase in curiosity.

B R e a K t H R O u g H SDr. Sabine Cordes, Senior researcher at the

Samuel Lunenfeld research institute, and

graduate student angela Sing, along with

researchers at the hospital for Sick Children

and the University of toronto, made a

breakthrough in understanding how genes

remember their past experience through

Polycomb response Elements, which are

memory modules that switch genes on or

off. the discovery may lead to insights into

diseases such as schizophrenia and cancer.

Dr. John Kingdom, Maternal fetal Medicine

Specialist and rose torno Chair in obstetrics

and gynaecology, discovered that the size

of a woman’s placenta can determine

whether her fetus is at a high risk of

stillbirth, and that if women are screened

during pregnancy they can be treated

effectively and the risk of stillbirth can be

significantly reduced.

Photo gallery

1

2

5

4

6

7 8

3

Event Co-Chairs tony reale of BMo Capital Markets and 1. andrew hoffman of Menkes Developments Ltd. at the Canadian real Estate industry Presents Play in Support of Cancer research hold ‘em for Life Charity Challenge on april 23.

tony reale and guests.2.

Edward Sonshine, immediate Past Chair, Mount Sinai 3. hospital foundation.

Dr. Paul Walfish, Endocrinologist and Senior Consultant 4. at the Joseph and Mildred Sonshine family Centre for head and neck Diseases (centre) presents an award to honourees, ginetta and ron Barbaro, on May 27 at the Da Vinci gala.*

Da Vinci gala Chair, Shellianne Bedder and gala 5. honouree, ron Barbaro.*

Mildred Sonshine and Sandi Kirschner at the gala.6.

new Leadership Sinai member, Samantha Mizel, in 7. front of her Leadership Sinai Disc at a recognition event on May 21.**

Members of the Leadership Sinai all-Star Cancer 8. research team with Dr. Jim Woodgett (second from left), Director of the Samuel Lunenfeld research institute at the Leadership Sinai recognition Event.**

L–r: Butch Mandel, Paul Brown, Susan horvath, 9. President, Mount Sinai hospital foundation and Brad goldhar at the george Knudson/oakdale Pro-am golf tournament tribute Event, hosted by Mount Sinai hospital foundation and israel Cancer research fund on June 1.**

9

Hold ‘em for Life Charity Challenge

Da vinci gala

Leadership Sinai Recognition event

george Knudson/Oakdale Pro-am golf tournament tribute event

10

13

16

19

17

18

11

14

12

15

* Photo courtesy of Wendy L. rombough.** Photo by francis heraldo, Mount Sinai hospital.*** Photo by aJ Messier Photography.

L–r: David Lieberman, Susan Maldoff, Carole Zucker and 10. Jack Winberg at the oakdale golf tournament tribute Event.**

L–r: Joseph Mapa, President and CEo, Mount Sinai hospital; 11. Dr. Jim Woodgett; Murray and Marvelle Koffler; and Dr. tony Pawson at the tony and Maggie Pawson tribute Event on June 11.**

L–r: Larry tanenbaum with Maggie and tony Pawson.**12.

L–r: Lawrence Bloomberg, Chair, Mount Sinai hospital Board of 13. Directors; Bob rubinoff, Co-Chair, Mount Sinai hospital foundation Board of Directors; Susan horvath; Brian gluckstein, Chair, founders’ Society; Michael Bregman, Co-Chair, Mount Sinai hospital foundation Board of Directors; and Joseph Mapa.*

Joseph Mapa and Sybil Kunin.*14.

Brian gluckstein (middle) with angelo and Carol DelZotto.*15.

Cheque presentation at the 15th annual Mount Sinai hospital 16. Classic golf tournament, June 22. L–r (front): Susan horvath, Co-Chairs Stephen J. Miller and Brian Cohen, Jonathan Pollack, Steven hershenhorn, Jordan Sarick. L–r (back): Michael Bregman; Kenny albert, Chair, Leadership Sinai; Joel Seigel and Shawn Mecklinger.***

L–r: Joan Stevens, Vice-President, Donor Engagement, Mount Sinai 17. hospital foundation; Dr. harold heft, Vice-President, advancement, Mount Sinai hospital foundation; Dr. allan Detsky, Past Physician-in-Chief, Mount Sinai hospital; Susan horvath; and robert harlang, Co-Chair, george Knudson/oakdale Pro-am golf tournament Committee.

L–r: Philip DeZwirek, Edward L. greenspan (featured speaker) and alan 18. Mark at the Leadership Sinai Lunch with Leaders event on July 16.**

L–r: Mary Melanson, Lisa McDonald, alyson gampel, Shawn Saraga 19. and Balti Sauer at the Leadership Sinai Lunch with Leaders.**

george Knudson/Oakdale Pro-am golf tournament tribute event

tony and Maggie Pawson tribute event

15th annual Mount Sinai Hospital Classic golf tournament

george Knudson/Oakdale Pro-am golf tournament

Founders’ Society event

Lunch with Leaders

Photo gallery continued

4

6

5

32

8

7

L–r: the Mount Sinai hospital 1. auxiliary gala 2009 Co-Chairs tom and anna Koffler and heather and Max gotlieb. the gala took place at heritage Court, Direct Energy Centre on May 14.

the table of gala gold Sponsor, 2. Bob rubinoff/inglewood holdings inc. Bob rubinoff is in the back row, centre.

the table of gala gold Sponsor, 3. gMP Securities LP.

Yoga In Motion4. took place at the hangar, at Downsview Park on May 3, 2009.

Yoga In Motion5. participants stretch for a cure.

L–r: Judy Winberg, Murray and 6. Marvelle Koffler, and Jack Winberg at the Drive fore a Cure golf tournament held on September 14 at Eagles nest golf Club.

L–r: hedie Unger and Judy Winberg at 7. the Drive fore a Cure golf tournament.

L–r: Paul Bura, Judy Wells, and 8. Marilyn and robert Cohen at the Drive fore a Cure golf tournament.

1

Mount Sinai Hospital auxiliary gala

Drive fore a Cure golf tournament

Yoga

in M

otio

n

Photos courtesy of Mount Sinai hospital auxiliary.

inSiDE Sinai 07

institute, and has taken an interest in the lunenfeld’s trans-formation from its smaller beginnings into a leading-edge research centre. “it was very interesting to watch the growth in the number of clinicians doing research,” rubinoff says. “There was very little of that at the beginning. and to see the top doc-tors we’ve attracted because of the lunenfeld is very exciting.”

rubinoff, President of inglewood Holdings inc., a private investment company, has contributed to numerous Hospital and foundation Boards and committees. He also serves on the Board of the Huron College foundation in london, Ontario. He donated $1.5 million to Right from the Start: Mount Sinai Hospital’s Campaign for women’s and infants’ Health, to support three triplet suites.

Bregman and rubinoff’s entrepreneurial spirit and history of leadership will stand them in good stead as they embark on their new mission at Mount Sinai.

“Just to be around the Hospital and to see the quality of the people and the excellence of the Hospital itself have made me want to keep donating and raising money,” says rubinoff. “i never stop learning new things here, and things are constantly changing. Just seeing what’s going on has inspired me for 27 years.”

ichael Bregman and robert rubinoff are on a mission. The two new Co-Chairs of the Mount Sinai Hospital foundation Board of Directors

are on a mission to enhance fundraising by broadening the donor base and holding signature events to support Mount Sinai’s patient care and research. also, they aim to further build relationships with major donors, who support Mount Sinai and the Samuel lunenfeld research institute so generously.

“The culture of Mount Sinai, which is so dedicated to excellence, is one that resonates with me and makes me feel proud of my association,” says Bregman who, along with rubinoff, was named Co-Chair of the foundation Board on June 16. “i enjoy working with the people here. The senior executive of the Hospital has an open-door policy and works closely with the volunteer leaders.”

Bregman, the Principal and Chief executive Officer of tailwind Capital inc. and the former Chairman and CeO of Second Cup ltd., has a long and successful history as an entrepreneur and community leader. He is Vice-Chair of Mount Sinai Hospital’s Board of Directors and has served in a leadership role on a number of Hospital and foundation Boards and committees. He has also had active roles in several charitable organizations, including the United Jewish appeal, Birthright israel, and the University of toronto’s rotman School of Management.

“One of the things i like most about working with Mount Sinai is that i’m always learning,” says Bregman, a triathlete who won a gold medal for Canada in the triathlon at the Maccabiah Games in israel at the age of 51. “Mount Sinai remains for me a very interesting environment, even though i’ve been involved with the Hospital for quite some time.”

Bob rubinoff, an avid art collector, began his involvement with Mount Sinai when he became a member of the Hospital’s Board of Directors in 1982. He sat on the committee that oversaw the formation of the Samuel lunenfeld research

M

Board Co-Chairs robert rubinoff and Michael Bregman.

B y m i c h a e l P o w e r

Mount Sinai’s Commitment to Excellence Resonates with Board Co-Chairs

08 inSiDE Sinai

hen Sybil kunin was a child, medical research was a popular topic

around the family dinner table. “My father was fascinated with medicine,” she recalled. “He would talk about new research, new discoveries, and what equipment was needed.”

Sybil’s father was Samuel lunen-feld, a steel magnate and real-estate developer who played a pivotal role in the expansion of Mount Sinai Hospital from its fi rst location on Yorkville avenue to University avenue, and in the creation of the research facility that bears his name: the Samuel lunenfeld research institute of Mount Sinai Hospital.

Mr. lunenfeld grew up during the Great Depression, and he didn’t have the opportunity to attend uni-versity. “He was very successful, but i think he always regretted not having had more education,” said Sybil. Th e experience informed Mr. lunenfeld’s philanthropy; he gave generously to education and research throughout his life. in the story of Mount Sinai’s re-search facility he is known as “the guardian angel,” whose charitable foundation’s multi-million-dollar gift allowed the fl edgling institute to take fl ight and soar.

w

Passion for research a family traditionB y f r a n c e s B a r t l e t t

Mitchell and Silvana Kunin

L–r: georges hania, Barbara hania, Michael Benzie, norman Benzie, Sybil Kunin and the late reuben Kunin.

Phot

os c

ourte

sy o

f the

Kun

in fa

mily

.

inSiDE Sinai 09

Th is passion for research is a family tra-dition. Sybil and her husband reuben, who passed away in 2002, continued to give generously to the lunenfeld. Th eir son, Mitchell, is a long-time Board member, and their daughter, Barbara Hania, recently joined the foundation Board. Barbara’s husband, Georges Hania, is Vice-President in charge of financing of the Samuel lunenfeld Charitable foundation, and supervised its latest endowment gift of $7.5 million to the lunenfeld.

“i’m fascinated by what the lunenfeld scientists are doing,” said Barbara. “Th e

link with the Hospital is so important; the researchers understand the needs of patients.” Th e family connection is something she treasures. “Going to the lunenfeld and seeing my grandfather’s name — it gives me a chill,” she says.

“it’s wonderful that my father’s name lives on,” said Sybil, while touring the Orde Street labs with her daughter Michael and son-in-law norman Benzie. Th e institute known the world over simply as “the lunenfeld” is also known as one of the world’s best. Samuel lunenfeld would be proud.

“ i’m fascinated by what the lunenfeld scientists are doing. Th e link with the Hospital is so important; the researchers understand the needs of patients.”– B a r B a r a H a n i a

Phot

os b

y Jo

hn L

oper

.

10 inSiDE Sinai

rom the moment a patient receives a cancer diagnosis, he or she has to accept that they will likely face

many challenges in the years ahead — even if their first tumour is removed successfully,” explains Dr. Carol Swallow, a Surgical Oncologist and Clinical

Scientist at Mount Sinai Hospital who specializes in colorectal cancer.

“for many, the most devastating news they ever receive is that their cancer has spread, or metastasized,” Dr. Swallow adds, explaining that when a primary

colorectal tumour spreads — typically to the liver or lung — patient survival rates drop significantly.

Sydney C. Cooper, one of Mount Sinai’s most dedicated friends, established the S.C. Cooper Sports Medicine Clinic in

cancer metastasis:growing our understanding of cancer that spreads

“f

11inSiDE Sinai

B y e m i ly r o B B

L–R: Dr. Carol Swallow, Sydney C. Cooper and Dr. Jim Dennis in Mount Sinai’s Biospecimen Repository.

the 1980s. in 2008, together with his family, he also established the Sydney and florence Cooper family education Centre. Unfortunately he found himself in need of Dr. Swallow’s care about seven years ago. “i was diagnosed with colon cancer. Dr. Swallow removed my

first tumour successfully, and i thought i was fine. a few years later, i found out the cancer had spread, and reappeared in my lungs,” Mr. Cooper recalls.

Metastatic cancer, like Mr. Cooper’s, is often inoperable, and it usually cannot

be cured through other treatments like chemotherapy or radiation. for these reasons, most deaths from cancer are caused by the spread of the disease.

luckily, Mr. Cooper’s lung cancer was operable and he has since fully recovered.

12 inSiDE Sinai

from a statistical perspective, he was very lucky. But the terrible risk he faced when his cancer spread did not go unnoticed. He became concerned about how and why cancer spreads, and be-came committed to preventing it.

“Because of my personal experience with cancer, i developed an interest in this area of research,” says Mr. Cooper. “i had a great respect for Dr. Swallow and her colleagues, and so i started making inquiries.”

a Project to Halt Cancer in its tracksMr. Cooper’s inquiries led him into discussions with Dr. Swallow and scien-tists at Mount Sinai’s Samuel lunenfeld research institute, home to some of the world’s most renowned and acclaimed cancer researchers. The result was the establishment of the Sydney C. Cooper Program for the Prevention of Cancer Progression — a novel program that is now bridging the gap between basic health research, which uses science to expand our knowledge of disease and health at a fundamental level, and clini-cal research, which uses this knowledge to solve a particular medical problem (like metastasis, in this example).

Combining both basic and clinical re-search is also known as ‘translational research,’ which has become a pressing international priority in the last few years. in fact, never before has medical science been closer to applying laboratory science to solving human diseases. Through translational research, clinical information obtained from patients, pathology reports, and diagnostic lab tests can be invalu-able in guiding laboratory research.

Of equal importance, new knowledge arising in basic science laboratories can have a massive impact on health care delivery, ultimately resulting in a more rapid transfer of basic science discoveries into clinical practice.

as fate would have it, when Mr. Cooper first approached Dr. Swallow, she was already working with lunenfeld scientists.

Dr. Jim woodgett, Director of the lunenfeld, is one of these scientists. “we know that most people who die from cancer actually die from metastatic spread of their initial disease,” he says. “This means that if we want to control or even cure cancer, we need to study how and why cancer spreads.”

in addition to being the world’s leading authority on a protein called GSk-3 that is directly implicated in cancer, Dr. woodgett’s lab focuses on the two types of breast cancer tumours — one is known to spread and one doesn’t. His lab seeks to understand the genetic and cellular differences between these two types of tumours to better understand the mechanisms of metastatic cancer.

“Metastasis is an incredibly complex process: a cancer cell needs to disengage from the original tumour, make its way into the bloodstream, travel through blood vessels, and reattach itself to a new part of the body that is actually a hostile environment for it. There is so much we need to know about this journey in order to interfere with it,” Dr. woodgett reiterates.

Dr. Jeff wrana, Mary Janigan research Chair in Molecular Cancer Therapeutics, is yet another world leader in this field. He studies proteins that affect the polari-ty (orientation) of cancer cells. These cells have a built-in sense of direction, but when they lose their polarity, they have essentially lost their bearings. They become confused, and are more likely to be disoriented — to “wander off” — and spread to other parts of the body. figuring out what causes the loss of polarity will be an important clue to understanding cancer progression.

when Dr. Swallow arrived at Mount Sinai, she joined the lab of Dr. Jim Dennis. Dr. Dennis is a Principal investigator at the lunenfeld and has been since the institute was established in 1985.

Dr. Dennis has been studying cancer metastasis for decades. One of his pro-jects focuses on cancer cell metabolism. “Many cancer cells have an elevated metabolic capacity, which means they can consume more energy, grow more

Purified tumour tissue Dna, in the final stages of processing, before being released for research studies.

inSiDE Sinai

rapidly, and spread throughout the body more quickly,” he explains.

Dr. Dennis’s lab also cloned a gene called Plk4, proved to be implicated in liver cancer. This gene promotes instability of the genome, which is a precursor to cancer progression and spread.

while all of this basic research is critical to understanding the underpinnings of cancer’s ability to metastasize, it is in-complete without clues from patient samples and corresponding clinical data.

animal models of cancer were the typical study subject in Dr. Dennis’s lab, but “the arrival of Dr. Swallow really helped us focus on the human problems. She works with patients every day and sees scientific questions through that lens,” explains Dr. Dennis.

He adds: “my lab has long been interested in cancer metastasis models in mice, but collaborating with Dr. Swallow, especial-ly in relation to Plk4, enables us to be equally strong at exploring human cancer, too. and that has far greater implications for improving patient outcomes.”

Clinical researchaccess to patient samples is another critical element of translational research. “we are very lucky at this Hospital to have a robust collection of patient tu-mour samples. The size and scope of our tissue databank is actually quite rare,” explains Dr. Swallow. The tissue samples stored within the databank hold much promise for research as they are

anita Patel, Research technician, retrieves a tower containing fresh, frozen tumour tissue from a liquid nitrogen freezer in the Biospecimen Repository.“Mount Sinai Hospital is a

fantastic place to conduct relevant translational research.” – D r . J i M D e n n i S

It’s nowonder that ahospital with areputation forlifelong caringalso has themost completefertility care.

Please visitwww.mountsinai.ca/fertility

to learn more.

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14 inSiDE Sinai

accompanied by relevant clinical data about the patient, disease progression and outcomes.

“Through tremendous collaboration and co-ordination with fellow surgical oncologists across toronto who operate on both liver and lung tumours, we have managed to collect both primary and metastasized tumour samples from the same patient,” says Dr. Swallow. She adds that very few (if any) other centres in north america have access to such a rich source of research data.

The tissue samples are stored in Mount Sinai’s Biospecimen repository.

in theory, comparing the genetic make-up and the relative activity of the genes in both the primary and secondary tumour samples of corresponding pa-tients will shed a bright light on the key players that promote or delay the metastatic process. and if they can better understand the process, researchers will be better able to interfere with and stop cancer from spreading altogether.

The Plk4 gene is a perfect example. together, Dr. Dennis and Dr. Swallow will use basic science screening method-ologies to analyze actual patient tumour samples to see how this gene contributes to the growth and spread of liver cancer.

The resultsMount Sinai’s expertise in the field, pro-ven track record, and access to unique patient samples inspired Mr. Cooper to make his $1-million gift in 2008 to create the focused research program that is now being led by Dr. Swallow.

The Sydney C. Cooper Program for the Prevention of Cancer Progression provides the opportunity for bright scientific and medical minds to join together in studying the fundamental

mechanisms of metastatic spread from a variety of disease perspectives.

“Mr. Cooper’s investment in this pro-gram has launched an important, translational research study that unites basic and clinical research. His support has formalized what were previously informal collaborations; it has inspired new lines of inquiry and discovery, and propelled our work to the next step,” says Dr. woodgett.

adding to this sentiment, Dr. Dennis explains that “Mr. Cooper’s contribution to our translational research efforts has strengthened the links between basic and human science, which should help us demystify the metastatic process more quickly.”

“in the first year alone,” explains Dr. Swallow, “we have identified 16 patients for whom we have clinical data and tumour samples. armed with this impor-tant information, i can now work with my colleagues at the lunenfeld to sequence and analyze the gene expression, looking for clues that will help us understand how and why the cancer cells spread.”

“i am fortunate for this opportunity to work with such motivated scientists at the lunenfeld. integrating clinical and basic research gives me great hope for my patients,” Dr. Swallow adds.

Mr. Cooper remains involved in the program, tracking the work. “i am very pleased by the progress that is being made,” he says. “i am proud that my donation is supporting integrative ap-proaches to the fight against cancer that will make a real difference.”

To donate to research at Mount Sinai Hospital, please contact Marilyn Brown at 416-586-8203 ext. 6095, or [email protected].

inSiDE Sinai 15

A “Sweet Spot” for Young Scientists

PhD candidate kelly Seto is grateful for the bursary she re-ceived for her work in Dr. irene andrulis’s lab. She is the only lunenfeld trainee investigating familial ovarian cancer. “i’m thankful to be in the presence of such gifted researchers who care so much about their students,” says Seto. “nowhere else could i experience such a strong link between what happens in the lab and its application to hospital care.”

Seto’s sentiments are echoed by colleague ian taylor, a PhD candidate and bursary recipient working under Senior investigator Dr. Jeff wrana. taylor’s contribution to the development of ‘DyneMo’ — an advanced diagnostic tool for breast cancer patients — has moved his career into the fast lane. He describes the lunenfeld as a “sweet spot” for Canadian research, noting its small size, enthusiastic mentors, and donor support.

Donations not only fund research, says taylor, but also help investigators pay for grant applications that have the potential to attract even greater funding to the lunenfeld.

Postdoctoral fellow nadine kolas was drawn to the lunenfeld following her graduate studies in new York. She has worked in Dr. Daniel Durocher’s cell biology lab for the past four years. kolas and her colleagues recently discovered two new genes that help cells avoid cancer-causing mutations. She appreciates the rtC and its support of trainees — especially now that she hopes to start her own lab.

whether awarding bursaries or ensuring trainees receive a competitive wage, the rtC is working to reduce the burden on young scientists. “it can be tough starting out — especially financially,” explains kolas. “research institutes need to keep the best people in science, and thanks to donor support, the lunenfeld is showing how to do it.”

To share your legacy story, or to find out how you can make a difference in the future through a gift in your will, please contact Yolanda Bronstein at 416-586-8203 ext. 2963, or [email protected].

very year, more than 200 talented trainees collaborate with some of the brightest stars in biomedical science, in labs at the Samuel lunenfeld research institute.

within three of these labs, three young scientists have made significant strides towards redefining the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of cancer.

all three are quick to praise the support of the research training Centre (rtC). it’s the go-to resource for research trainees when beginning their program, applying for funding, and preparing for the workforce.

legacy gifts are helping to provide new investigators with financial support and a boost to their confidence. when Doris Mack made a gift in her will to support trainees, she was not only honouring her late husband, Harold, but also helping influence the future of how we practise medicine.

e

Kelly Seto and nadine Kolas

By cather in e shannon

“research institutes need to keep the best peo-ple in science, and thanks to donor support, the lunenfeld is showing how to do it.” – n a D i n e k O l a S , P O S t D O C t O r a l f e l l Ow

00 inSiDE Sinai

ammy nickle and Mark Stewart feel fortunate for the outstanding care they receive

from Dr. Jay wunder, Surgeon-in-Chief and Orthopaedic Surgeon with Mount Sinai’s Sarcoma Program at the Christopher Sharp Centre for Surgery & Oncology.

“Dr. wunder has given me the best care i’ve ever had in my life,” says nickle, who was diagnosed with ewing sarcoma in 2007. Dr. wunder removed the tu-mour from her leg, fitting her for an implant that spared her limb and allows her to bend her knee to 90 degrees and walk without a limp. “i wouldn’t trust anyone else with my leg.”

Similarly, Mark Stewart, who was diag-nosed with osteosarcoma in the 1990s (the same kind of tumour that afflict-ed terry fox), is impressed with Dr. wunder’s patient care. “His unbelievable care and friendly nature are unsurpassed. i see Dr. wunder once a year for a check up. He is always interested in me not only as a patient, but what i’m doing in my life.”

Sarcomas are cancers of the connective tissue, such as that of the bone, cartilage or fat. There are two main types: those that arise from bone and cartilage, of which osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma and ewing sarcoma are the most com-mon; and soft-tissue sarcoma, which develops from tissues such as fat, mus-cles, tendons, blood vessels and nerves.

Mount sinai’s world-renowned sarcoma program uses research to advance treatmentB y m e l i s s a m c d e r m o t t

t

Drs. Rebecca gladdy and Jay Wunder

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Dr. wunder specializes in bone and soft-tissue sarcoma in the extremities (arms and legs).

Dr. wunder, leadership Sinai Chair in Surgery and rubinoff/Gross Chair in Orthopaedic Oncology and an asso-ciate Member of the Samuel lunenfeld research institute, and his colleagues have built a world-renowned sarcoma program. The largest of its kind in Canada, with the highest patient volume and most complex cases, the program also performs clinical research that has resulted in significant advances in sarcoma care.

Dr. wunder’s team has made discover-ies that have changed patient care dramatically. Previously, patients with soft-tissue sarcoma received radiation post-surgery. with limb-preserving surgery now at almost 95 per cent, long-term functional outcomes have become more important. research, numerous studies and a randomized clinical trial conclude that patients do better long term when treated with radiation pre-surgery. This is now the standard of care for soft-tissue sarcomas throughout Ontario, and is gaining acceptance worldwide.

“Clinical practice changes like this one are discovered at Mount Sinai because of our rich source of patient data,” says Dr. wunder. “Our patients are extremely willing to share their medical

information and tumour samples for research. we started a patient database in 1989 and we’ve had almost 100 per cent voluntary participation. Because of our patients, we have an invaluable tool to measure quality of life post-surgery.”

Dr. wunder and the joint Mount Sinai Hospital-Princess Margaret Hospital sarcoma team are also studying in-tensity-Modulated radiation Therapy (iMrt), a new three-dimensional ra-diation approach. Previously, patients with soft-tissue sarcomas in extremities needed radiation, commonly leading to skin-healing complications requiring additional surgeries, prolonged dressing changes that sometimes led to infection, bone fractures, and amputation. Dr. wunder observed that the iMrt tech-nique results in radiation being given with more precise localization, minimiz-ing the risk of wound complications.

research That enhances treatmentwhile Dr. wunder focuses on cancers in the extremities, Dr. rebecca Gladdy, a Surgical Oncologist and associate Member of the lunenfeld, specializes in soft-tissue sarcomas in areas other than the extremities. Dr. Gladdy’s clinical practice and research focuses on soft-tissue sarcomas in the abdomen. Dr. Gladdy, the team’s newest member, was recruited to Mount Sinai from Memorial Sloan-kettering Cancer Center in new York City in 2008.

“a big reason i decided to come to Mount Sinai is the amazing research support at this Hospital and the empha-sis on translational research,” explains Dr. Gladdy, who dedicates 80 per cent of her time to research.

treatment for soft-tissue sarcomas in-volves radiation followed by surgery to remove the tumour. Unfortunately, these tumours are likely to recur in the

same area. Dr. Gladdy and her colleagues focus on educating other doctors in Canada on how to improve their ability to diagnose soft-tissue sarcomas.

“research needs to enhance treatment further,” says Dr. Gladdy. “The goal is to stop tumours from growing so that recurrence is less common, provide patients with non-surgical options and to be more sophisticated in how we treat each subtype of soft-tissue sarcoma.

Dr. Gladdy’s lab at the Samuel lunen-feld research institute has created cell lines that will be used to examine and screen molecular changes in soft-tissue tumours. The goal is to discover subtype-specific, molecularly targeted therapeutics that can provide new treatment options unique to each type of soft-tissue sarcoma.

“almost 50 per cent of those with the disease do not survive,” says Dr. Gladdy. “There is an urgent need for more specific treatments that limit toxicity and morbidity.”

Similarly, the direction of Dr. wunder’s translational research is focused on dis-covering molecular changes to better predict patient outcomes, identify targeted drugs to help stop metastasis, and develop more specific treatments for different sarcoma types.

The research progress Drs. wunder and Gladdy and their team have made supports their commitment to excep-tional patient care. “i have an open invitation to call Dr. wunder with any concerns at any time,” says patient Mark Stewart. “He’s the best doctor.”

Join us in supporting research at Mount Sinai. Call 416-586-8203 or visit www.mshfoundation.ca.

“ a big reason i decided to come to Mount Sinai is the amazing research support at this Hospital and the empha-sis on translational research.” – D r . r e B e C C a G l a D D Y,

S U r G i C a l O n C O l O G i S t

18 inSiDE Sinai

oy tseng was 24 weeks pregnant when she learned that her baby was smaller than normal for that age. when an ultrasound didn’t determine the reason for the abnormally slow growth, tseng was referred to Mount

Sinai Hospital’s Placenta Clinic. There, she met the Clinic’s Director, Dr. John kingdom, Maternal-fetal Medicine Specialist at Mount Sinai and rose torno Chair in Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

tests revealed that tseng’s placenta was not functioning pro-perly, causing her baby to get insufficient nourishment from her blood. around the same time, she developed high blood pressure, a condition she had never had before.

at 30 weeks, tseng still had high blood pressure and her baby remained small. She was induced due to concerns over her health. Sadly, the baby was stillborn.

“we were devastated,” says tseng. She and her husband, David lau, named their first child Matthew. “But i still remember Dr. kingdom reassuring me that the problem was the placenta and that it sometimes happens with first pregnancies. He told me that i was still young and i would be able to have children later on. He said that next time, they would monitor me closely.”

The placenta connects the fetus to the uterine wall and extracts oxygen and nutrients from the mother’s blood, delivering it to the baby. The organ also removes toxins and carbon dioxide from the fetus and sends them back to the mother.

Several common problems associated with the placenta can arise during pregnancy. One such complication is a potentially severe form of pregnancy-related hypertension — called pre-eclampsia — that affects the health of both mother and infant. tseng’s hypertension never developed into pre-eclampsia, although doctors watched for signs of the condition during her pregnancy.

fetal growth restriction, another placenta-related condition, occurs when the placenta does not function well enough to allow the baby to grow properly. invasive placenta (or placenta percreta) involves the placenta growing into the wall of the uterus. fetal death or stillbirth (when the baby dies before delivery) is also related to placental function. Placental compli-cations are common, and occupy roughly one quarter of the working time in fetal medicine.

supporting healthy Pregnancies: mount sinai’s Placenta clinicB y m i c h a e l P o w e r

Dr. John Kingdom

J

inSiDE Sinai

when Joy tseng became pregnant again, she quickly contacted the Placenta Clinic. a placenta function test and an ultrasound revealed that her placenta was performing properly, and she returned regularly for ultrasounds and to ensure proper blood fl ow through the placenta. as well, the Clinic checked the size of her baby.

in 2005, tseng gave birth to a son, luke, and in 2008 the couple had their second child, a daughter named lauren. “after we lost our fi rst baby, i remember Dr. kingdom sitting down by my bedside and saying that one day soon i would have healthy babies,” recalls tseng. “when you’re going through a loss, you can’t think that far ahead. But looking back, i realize that what he said was right. So we want to help people by sharing our story and letting them know that there’s hope. for that kind of help, the Placenta Clinic is the best place there is.”

To support women’s and infants’ health at Mount Sinai, please contact Marilyn Brown at 416-586-8203 ext. 6095, or [email protected].

19

Th is relationship can lead to discoveries that directly improve patient care. in a recent study, Dr. kingdom dis-covered that the size of a pregnant woman’s placenta can determine whether her fetus is at a high risk of stillbirth, and that if women are screened during pregnancy they can be monitored eff ectively to avoid the risk of stillbirth in potentially healthy babies.

“we want to have our foot in the door at the lunenfeld so that we can contribute scientifi cally by providing placental material on the one hand, but we can also learn from the research done there,” Dr. kingdom says.

“we recognized that abnormal placental development and damage can mediate several important diseases,” says Dr. kingdom. “rather than having a disease-focused clinic, we wanted to be organ-focused. we’ve modelled the idea largely on Mount Sinai’s Marvelle koffl er Breast Centre, which treats a variety of breast problems. Th at Centre promotes breast health in its broadest sense, and we wanted to try to do the same thing with the placenta.”

Th e Placenta Clinic gets referrals from across the Greater toronto area for pregnant women with placental compli-cations. Th e Clinic is run from Mount Sinai’s Special Pregnancy Program. for the past 10 years, clinical hours on tuesdays have been devoted to caring for patients with pla-cental complications.

Th e Placenta Clinic also taps expertise from across the Hospital, says Dr. kingdom. for example, a kidney or blood specialist may be called to help treat women with specifi c complications. “we can involve the full breadth and depth of Mount Sinai Hospital for patients who have placenta problems,” Dr. kingdom says.

Until recently, Mount Sinai had been the only north ameri-can hospital with clinical hours dedicated solely to dealing with conditions of the placenta, Dr. kingdom says. But faculty members from the University of California, San Diego Medical Center visited the Hospital to study the Placenta Clinic, and that hospital opened its own version of the clinic on July 1, 2009.

Th e Placenta Clinic also benefi ts from research done at Mount Sinai’s Samuel lunenfeld research institute. Th e Clinic provides the lunenfeld with placentas for research, while also learning from research into placental function done at the lunenfeld. Th e research institute houses a major genetic program that focuses part of its research eff orts on the placenta.

“ we want to have our foot in the door at the lunenfeld so that we can contribute scientifi cally by providing placental material on the one hand, but we can also learn from the research done there.”– D r . J O H n k i n G D O M ,

M at e r n a l - f e ta l M e D i C i n e S P e C i a l i S t

“ we want to help people by sharing our story and letting them know that there’s hope. for that kind of help, the Placenta Clinic is the best place there is.”– J O Y t S e n G , Pat i e n t

We need your help to care for more than a thousand critically ill babies each year.

Our Right from the Start campaign allows us to offer the best in pre-natal care, hope

in high-risk pregnancies, and a fighting chance to fragile premature babies. Visit

supportsinai.ca or call 416-586-8203 to donate andmake a difference to the

lifelong health of women and vulnerable infants.

Canada’s most vulnerable babies depend on us.

Can we depend on you?

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help for Mount sinai’s highest priorities

SarS,” said Mr. DeZwirek, a private investor. He and his wife, a retired investment banker, describe their gift as “a long-term investment for our community, for our children and our grandchildren.”

The couple feels strongly that their investment was a wise choice. “Mount Sinai is an enormous resource for the com-munity, not only for current medical and health care issues, but as a scientific research facility,” says Mr. DeZwirek. “we’ve received emails detailing the great medical breakthroughs made recently.”

a plaque on the Hospital’s 4th floor, dedicating the space as the “Phillip and Peggy DeZwirek family Mezzanine,” quietly signals the couple’s generous contribution. “it is money well spent,” says Mr. DeZwirek. “whatever you give is money well given and well utilized by the Hospital. There are great returns on whatever you invest in Mount Sinai.”

Join us in supporting Mount Sinai’s highest priorities. Call 416-586-8203 or visit www.mshfoundation.ca.

21

Philanthropyfabulous

hen Phillip and Peggy DeZwirek decided to donate $1 million to Mount Sinai Hospital, their generosity went well beyond the monetary value

of their gift. after considering an array of options for which their gift could be designated, the DeZwireks chose to support Mount Sinai’s highest priorities.

“we looked at a number of alternatives, but in the end we figured that the Hospital itself would know best where the money was needed,” said Mr. DeZwirek.

indeed, Mount Sinai’s highest priorities are just that: representing the urgent need to continuously update technology and equipment and attract the very best medical and research talent. transformational gifts like the DeZwireks’ help the Hospital to maintain its exceptional standards of excellence and its preparedness to meet the challenges of public health crises like SarS and now H1n1.

These standards, along with the superb care they have received as patients of the Hospital, inspired the DeZwireks’ support. “Mount Sinai was the leading authority in Ontario during

B y f r a n c e s B a r t l e t t

w

Peggy and Phillip DeZwirek

for medical research. The result was Venture Sinai, a new group dedicated to applying its skills to raising money.

“The idea was to invite a critical mass of new donors, each making a five-year commitment in support of Mount Sinai and the Samuel lunenfeld research institute,” says rosenthal. The group, which held its inaugural meeting in May of 2009, would gather in a relaxed social setting, listen to a few select research presentations, decide where they wanted to ‘invest’ their donation, and then track the progress of that investment.

“The response was phenomenal,” says rosenthal, who ended up successfully recruiting 17 members to the group. “The people i contacted recognized that, by joining Venture Sinai, they could be part of something innovative and enjoyable, and at the same time have a significant impact at Mount Sinai.”

This intersection of philanthropy and investment has in-spired the creation of Venture Sinai women. “Our group will support projects, research and clinical care that impacts women,” say Co-Chairs Camille Dan, lisa Draper and Sheryl Salter. “after choosing a project to support, our members will maintain an ongoing involvement in the process and track the success of their investment.”

response to Venture Sinai women has been overwhelming. “People are really attracted by the prospect of joining a small group of like-minded philanthropists that offers the opportunity to engage and learn,” add the Co-Chairs.

The momentum of Venture Sinai is indicative of a growing trend in philanthropy. “More and more, our donors want to make a meaningful connection with the scientists and clinicians they support,” says Susan Horvath, President, Mount Sinai Hospital foundation. “They want to be partners in our success.”

rosenthal agrees: “i think that this is a philanthropic model that speaks to the interests and engagement of a new genera-tion of donors.”

22 inSiDE Sinai

arly in 2009, Mount Sinai Hospital foundation board member Jeff rosenthal wondered what would hap-pen if he applied an investor’s approach to fundraising

donors embrace new Venture By frances

Bartlett

eL–r: Venture Sinai Women Co-Chairs Lisa Draper, Sheryl Salter and Camille Dan.

clinician-scientists. She has visited many areas of the Hospital, including the Surgical Skills Centre and the robotics facility at the Samuel lunenfeld research institute.

She has woven the Hospital into the fabric of her life. it is, she says, one of her favourite places. “whenever i walk up University avenue and see Mount Sinai, it just makes me smile. it makes me very happy — and also very grateful. i really do love this wonderful Hospital with its truly amazing physicians, nurses, researchers and support staff.”

Charlene has expressed her appreciation by becoming a legacy Sinai donor. By leaving the Hospital a major portion of her estate and naming Mount Sinai Hospital foundation as the beneficiary of her rrSPs, she knows that she will continue to support a cause that is very important to her.

“i’m interested in anything that i can do to assist in supporting Mount Sinai’s tradition of excellence because it is an outstanding Hospital. it is absolutely the best. i can’t think of anywhere better to leave my estate. it’s very satisfying to know that this will happen.”

To share your legacy story, or to find out how you can make a difference in the future through a gift in your will, please contact Yolanda Bronstein at 416-586-8203 ext. 2963, or [email protected].

23inSiDE Sinai

Charlene girt

eroes have been on Charlene Girt’s mind a lot lately. “i’m crazy about baseball and the Blue Jays” she says, “but, and i know this is a cliché, they can’t save lives.

we make celebrities of the wrong people. actually, it should be the people who have the ability to improve and even save your life.”

Given her criteria, it’s no surprise that Charlene’s list of personal heroes is topped by Dr. robin Mcleod. Dr. Mcleod, Head of Mount Sinai’s Division of General Surgery and the angelo and alfredo De Gasperis families Chair in Colorectal Cancer and iBD research, is responsible for two of Charlene’s surgeries.

The first, a life-saving surgery, which Charlene describes as “the super major four-hour one, aka, the ultra-low anterior resection,” was for colorectal cancer and involved complicated reconstructive surgery and an ileostomy; the second procedure reversed the ileostomy, significantly improving Charlene’s quality of life.

Since 1999, Charlene has had six surgeries at Mount Sinai. Most people prefer to put their patient experiences behind them, however, Charlene cheerfully admits to being fascinated by hospitals, an interest she traces back to childhood.

“i should have died at birth,” she says. “i weighed 3 pounds, 13 ounces, and in 1945 saving a baby that small was an exceptional accomplishment. i think perhaps my love of hospitals came from knowing this. also, i just find hospitals really interesting and inspiring places. i especially like operating rooms. amazing things happen there.”

for this retired librarian, each medical encounter has opened up new avenues of discovery. Her pursuit of knowledge has led Charlene to take part in clinical studies and attend lectures by

Charlene Girt Knows Her Heroes By frances

Bartlett

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as they prepared for the September 2009event. Th e blog provided an avenue for team members to post helpful training tips, gather support, share personal stories, and off er unique fundraising ideas.

Th e population of Mount Sinai’s online communities has grown quickly over a relatively short time. More than 200 people have become fans of the Hospital on facebook, where a profi le has been active since January 2009, and more than 1,000 followers receive daily updates on twitter. Th e same number of people have tuned in to Mount Sinai’s Youtube channel, which features several short, informative videos covering va-rious topics, such as interviews with researchers, donor recognition events, and tips on how to stay healthy.

Mount Sinai supporters can continue to count on these channels to provide them with convenient and immediate access to information from the Hospital.

Become a friend and a follower of Mount Sinai. Visit www.mshfoundation.ca to fi nd links to each of the social media sites.

24 inSiDE Sinai

ello @mountsinai! i sent this from your CCU March 13th. Th x for taking such awesome care of me!”

it’s fewer than 140 characters, and it uses short forms common in texting, but this simple message — or “tweet” — sent by a patient was instantly seen by hundreds of people on twitter.

Mount Sinai’s twitter feed started in October 2008 as a way for the Media relations team to communicate break-through fi ndings but has since expanded.

it’s just one of the new social media channels Mount Sinai Hospital foun-dation is using to communicate with the public.

when a Mount Sinai researcher makes a breakthrough, the news is now shared with a growing group of online suppor-ters who receive daily updates on both twitter and facebook. what makes these forums special is the opportunity for followers to immediately respond to news, ask questions, or make a com-

opening new channels of communicationB y m at t h e w P e lt o m a K i

“H ment. “Th ese are truly unique ways for the community and the foundation to interact with each other,” says Chris Carter, Director of annual Giving. “Th e ability to directly answer questions enables us to better inform the public about the important work being done at the Hospital.”

Besides breaking news, these sites have also been utilized to promote events, recruit volunteers, and raise money. when former patient will wong want-ed to show his gratitude to Mount Sinai for the life-saving treatment he received while battling thyroid cancer, he turned to facebook to begin a unique fundraiser to benefi t the Hospital. for a minimum $20 donation, facebook users can have a photo shoot with wong, then use the photo as their facebook profi le picture. Proceeds will be donated to Mount Sinai. Th e foundation promoted the campaign by posting will’s story and continually updating his progress.

Members of Mount Sinai’s Scotiabank toronto waterfront Marathon team used the social media device of daily blogging

inSiDE Sinai

Unlike organ transplants such as the heart or kidney, a pa-tient’s body will not reject transplants of bone or cartilage. Th is eliminates the need to match the donor’s bone or tissue “type” with that of the recipient.

Th e Hospital has recently approved a rebranding and new growth strategy for Th e rachel and David rubinoff Bone and tissue Bank. now to be known externally as allograft technologies, the bone and tissue bank will be looking to provide suffi cient quantities of state-of-the-art tissue pro-ducts and services to the entire province of Ontario.

Dr. David Howarth is a Staff Pathologist at Mount Sinai Hospital who has acted as the Medical Director of Th e Rachel and David Rubinoff Bone and Tissue Bank for 16 years.

25

Th e rachel and David rubinoff Bone and tissue Bank at Mount Sinai Hospital provides high-quality bone and tissue products for procedures

that involve replacing bone or cartilage.

Th e facility uses tissue from both deceased and live donors. tissue from deceased donors comes through the trillium Gift of life network. Patients can donate live bone that is removed during procedures such as hip replacements. to ensure the donations are appropriate, live donors are screened in part with a psychosocial and medical questionnaire. Th e tissue is also tested for the presence of viruses and bacteria in the Department of Microbiology and then radiated. Th e bone is stored at -70 Celsius, and can be kept for up to fi ve years. an evaluation is performed in the Department of Pathology and laboratory Medicine to confi rm tissue suitability for use as a transplant.

Before the surgery to replace a length of bone, a suitable piece of replacement bone is reserved. During the procedure, the surgeon removes the diseased bone or tissue from the patient, and then fi ts the processed bone into the missing section. Th e implanted bone is held in place with plates and screws.

Donated bone and tissue can be used for sarcoma patients as well as for those with arthritis or injuries where a limb or joint is damaged. Ground bone can be used as “packing” to fi ll in a small defect within a bone. Surgeons can also replace damaged cartilage in knees with donated cartilage.

i HAVE HEARD THAT MOUNT SINAI HAs A BONE AND TIssUE BANK. CAN YOU sHED sOME LIGHT ON WHAT THE BONE BANK DOEs?

Q.

a.

the expertask if you have a question for one of our experts, please email [email protected]

Single Patient Use Only

Mount Sinai Hospital

Joseph and Wolf Lebovic Health Complex

600 University Avenue

Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 1X5

t 416-586-8870

f 416-586-4458

www.allografttechnologies.com

Advancing tissue innovation since 1972


Health Canada CTO #100011

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Single Patient Use OnlyMount Sinai Hospital Joseph and Wolf Lebovic Health Complex600 University Avenue Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 1X5 t 416-586-8870 f 416-586-4458 www.allografttechnologies.com



Health Canada CTO #100011

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place label here

TO DONATE Mount Sinai Hospital Foundation of Toronto, 1001-522 University Avenue, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1W7 t 416-586-8203 www.mshfoundation.ca

9512 - Grateful Patient AMY - Perspective Magazine - 8.125 x 10.875 - June 2.09 - Summer 2009

When I was in labour with my daughter, Samantha,

there were some complications. The news got even

worse when we found out she had health problems.

The stress. The not knowing. We were worried. But the

nurses were so comforting and reassuring. The care

we received was excellent. I have been raising funds

for Mount Sinai for years and I always imagined that I

was helping other people. It’s funny how it all comes

back in the end. It’s up to all of us to help each other.

FUNDRAISING FORMOUNT SINAISHOWED ME THATI COULD HELP APERSON IN NEED.

I JUST NEVERTHOUGHT ITWOULD BE MYDAUGHTER.

Amy Stein, member of Leadership Sinai since 2005 & Samantha Roach, daughter

“

”

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