Joseph Mikhael, MD, MEd, FRCPC, FACP

Dr. Mikhael is a Professor in the Applied Cancer Research and Drug Discovery Division at the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), an affiliate of the City of Hope Cancer Center. He is also the Chief Medical Officer of the International Myeloma Foundation (IMF).

Dr. Mikhael is a consultant hematologist and Director of Myeloma Research at the Honor Health Research Institute where he conducts phase 1 clinical trials. He also serves as a Councilor on the Executive of the American Society of Hematology. He also recently led the ASCO guidelines for multiple myeloma.

Dr. Mikhael was recently a hematologist at Mayo Clinic Arizona where he served as a Professor at the Mayo College of Medicine, Associate Dean of Graduate Medical Education and Deputy Director - Education of the Mayo Clinic Cancer Center. He has been recognized with numerous awards in education including being in the Mayo Clinic Resident and Fellow Association Hall of Fame as Educator of the Year. He was also recently named in the Top 100 Doctors in the United States.

Dr. Mikhael did his initial medical school training in Ottawa, Canada, followed by his Hematology Residency at Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto. He then did a Multiple Myeloma Fellowship there along with a Masters' Degree in Education from the University of Toronto. He was on staff at PMH until being recruited to Mayo Clinic in 2008

He specializes clinically in plasma cell disorders, namely multiple myeloma, amyloidosis and Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia. Dr. Mikhael is currently the principal investigator of many clinical trials, primarily in multiple myeloma. His other clinical research interests also include pharmaco-economics, communication skills and media relations. He has published over 150 peer-reviewed articles in these fields. He lectures internationally regularly. He is an active member of the International Myeloma Working Group and serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Dr. Mikhael is leading the IMF African American initiative which seeks to improve the care delivered to African Americans with myeloma – a disease with double the incidence in African Americans than Caucasians. Dr. Mikhael also spends about 20% of his time in the third world seeking ways to enhance access to myeloma therapies in underprivileged countries.

In 1998, at the age of 42, Gloria Shapiro was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She fought this disease with all her strength for over 6 years. She lost her battle on September 17, 2004.

Gloria was a woman of tremendous strength, courage and determination, and in her struggle with ovarian cancer she was inspired to take a stand, for the sake of all women, against this 'disease that whispers'. She established the Gloria Shapiro Endowment Fund for Ovarian Cancer Research at the Jewish General Hospital in order to help fulfill the dream that someday other women would not have to suffer as she had. The goal of the fund is twofold – to raise funds for research and patient care as well as to make women aware of the disease's very subtle symptoms.

From the beginning, Gloria was assisted by her beloved sister Maxine, who ensured that Gloria’s legacy lived on and grew in scope over the years. Maxine took on the role of Honorary Chairperson of this group of dedicated women, which she led as Ambassador. Sadly, on October 2, 2020 Maxine suffered a heart attack and passed away from complications a few days later. The Shapiro-Rosenblatt family legacy now lives on through Maxine’s daughter Stefanie, who has been a devoted member of the group since its inception. Stefanie has now proudly taken on the role of Ambassador of Gloria’s Girls in tribute to her beloved late mother and aunt.

Today, Gloria's passion and determination to help others lives on through Gloria's Girls, a group of women committed to carrying on her mission.

In 2019, Gloria's Girls surpassed the $1.5 million mark in total funds raised. All proceeds from the group's fundraising activities are directed towards increasing awareness, enhancing patient care, and funding research at the Jewish General Hospital – all in support of Ovarian and Gynaecological Cancer.

Some of Gloria's Girls current projects and programs include:

• Gloria's Girls Compassionate Care Fund: A financial resource coordinated by the Department of Social Services, benefiting women and their families to provide transportation, food, childcare and everyday comforts.
• DigniCap Clinical Trial: An innovative project exclusively for ovarian cancer patients at the Jewish General Hospital. The DigniCap is used during chemotherapy treatments aiming to minimize or prevent chemo-induced alopecia (hair loss).
• Awareness and Education:

1. On-site and virtual "Lunch & Learn" company awareness events, where professional speakers sensitize women to the subtle symptoms of ovarian cancer and the importance of early detection.

To make a request for a "Lunch & Learn" session at no charge, please contact: Rana Saheb at (514) 340-8222 ext. 25889 or rana.saheb@jgh.mcgill.ca

2. Handbooks preparing patients undergoing gynaecological Robotic Surgery.

• Post-Surgery Kit: A kit to support women after undergoing invasive surgery.
• Empowering Patients: A unique mobile management application, customized for JGH cancer patients, their doctors, and care givers. The app empowers cancer patients and helps them manage and improve the cancer treatment process.
• Cutting-edge Research: A project initiated at the JGH to evaluate molecular markers, (related to the repairs of DNA) in patients with cancers on the ovaries. This will lead to personalized treatments and the prevention of hereditary cancers in those relatives at risk.
• Robotic Surgery: Robotic surgery results in less pain and a quicker recovery overall. The JGH team has pioneered the utilization of "Robotic Surgery" for gynaecological cancer patients and Gloria's Girls is aiming to make it accessible to more women.

We sincerely thank you for your interest and support. If you wish to send personalized cards with donations directed to the Gloria Shapiro Endowment Fund for Ovarian Cancer Research and supported programs, or for more information, please contact Rana Saheb, Operations Coordinator, Events at 514-340-8222 ext. 25889 or rana.saheb@jgh.mcgill.ca

Caron Jacobson is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, and a member of the lymphoma group and Medical Director of the Immune Effector Cell Therapy program at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Her research focuses on the use of cellular therapies, including CAR T-cell therapies, and other immunotherapies for the treatment of lymphoma.

Caron got her BS in Biology from Brown University and her MD from Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons. She did her residency in Internal Medicine at Columbia University Medical Center, where she also served as a chief resident. She moved to Boston for her fellowship in hematology/oncology in the joint DFCI/MGH fellowship program, where she completed research projects in transplant immunology under the mentorship of Dr. Jerome Ritz. She transitioned from the Ritz lab into the clinical lymphoma division and received training in the clinical and translational investigation through the Clinical Investigator Training Program at Harvard Medical School, which led to a Masters in Medical Science. She now runs both industry-sponsored and investigator-initiated studies of immunotherapy and cellular therapies for the treatment of B cell lymphomas.

As the Medical Director of the Immune Effector Cell Therapy program at DFCI, Caron oversees both the commercial and research cell therapy programs, which are heavily focused on hematologic malignancies but which is expanding into solid tumours. Her group offers access to three FDA approved CAR T-cell products in lymphoma and leukemia and currently runs over 30 studies across 8 different disease centers.

"Although I knew my heart was at risk, on a random day before a pre-planned cardiovascular surgery I felt chest pains. After following guidelines for an impending heart attack, I drove myself to the JGH emergency."

That's when Ian Henriques found out his heart would not only be in the hands of his cardiac surgeon Dr. Emmanuel Moss but in the rotating arms of the Da Vinci robot.

"I was nervous but felt very reassured by the professionals at JGH, including my surgeon," Ian said. "Technically 3 days post Robotic Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG), I was home and felt great."

Robotically-assisted heart surgery, also called closed-chest heart surgery, is a type of minimally invasive heart surgery performed by a cardiac surgeon. The surgeon uses a specially-designed computer console to control surgical instruments on thin robotic arms.

"In the robotic surgery that we do, we just go through muscle which means we don't have to break any ribs. This means recovery takes weeks instead of months," said Dr. Moss. "They spend less time in ICU, less time on a breathing machine, less chance of needing blood transfusions and overall, the recovery is faster after the surgery."

At the JGH Foundation ensuring the health and well-being of the JGH patients and team members, as well as its community as a whole, is our first and most important priority.

As one of the only surgeons in Canada routinely performing both robotic mitral valve and coronary bypass surgeries, Dr. Emmanuel Moss understands the value of the human and robotic connection in ensuring that comprehensive wellness

Now, Ian does too.

"Upon discharge, a flood of thoughts and emotions struck like a freight train passing through a station," he said. "I was amazed at the level of expertise of the doctors, surgeons, the equipment used and the skill to complete human plumbing issues and all support services offered. I was reborn."

During these unprecedented times, heart health is more important than ever. With 26 million worldwide heart failure patients, Dr. Moss doesn't skip a beat when it comes to letting his patients know how important it is to take care of themselves.

"I usually tell people to maintain an overall healthy lifestyle which includes eating well, exercise and healthy life habits. If you ask people to do too much, they might not do anything at all. Unless they really need to cut something out for medical reasons, I tell patients to turn their attention to healthier things and just that will make a difference," Dr. Moss added.

HELP DOCTORS, NURSES, SUPPORT STAFF AND PATIENTS #USEHEART TO MAKE HEALTHIER CHOICES ON #WORLDHEARTDAY

DONATE TODAY!

The Aisenstadt Program for 2020 is available by clicking here to download.

We are thrilled to welcome six new members to the JGH Foundation's Board of Directors. Their professional expertise and dedication to community will enable us to achieve our ambitious fundraising goals while providing support to the JGH during this unprecedented time.

The mission of the Jewish General Hospital Foundation is to advance health care and medical research for the people of Quebec. The Foundation provides essential assistance to the hospital to enhance its exceptional patient care, to further scientific discovery and to acquire the most up-to-date and innovative equipment.

David Amiel

Co-CEO
Maroline Distributing

David Amiel has been actively shaping the Montreal Jewish community through multiple leadership roles for more than a decade now. He served as Chair of the Young Leadership Campaign of the Combined Jewish Appeal in 2011, Co-Chair of the New Gifts Initiative in 2012, and Chair of the Montreal Young Adult Division (YAD) in 2013. He became a member of Federation CJA's Board of Directors in 2013, and recently completed his term as President of Federation CJA (2017-2019). He continues to serve on the Board as Immediate Past President until his term is complete in 2021.

Additionally, David is currently a member of the Board of Directors of the Jewish Community Foundation (2019-) and has sat on the Board of Directors for Camp B'nai Brith, Hillel Montreal and the Chevra Kadisha Synagogue.

David earned a Bachelor's degree from Carleton University and a Certificate in Marketing and Advertising Communications from the Fashion Institute of Technology. Today, he is Co-CEO of Maroline Distributing, with his brother Jonathan. David and his wife Robyn have three children ages 15, 13 and 12.

Sandrine Bohbot

Chartered Accountant

Sandrine is a professional chartered accountant who is currently working on growing the family business specialized in the luxury retail industry. She is also a mom of 3 young children whose first breaths were all taken at the JGH. She is very passionate about philanthropy and has been involved in various committees such as Daffodil Ball, UNICEF, McCord Museum, Federation CJA, Giving Project MTL and more.

Sylvie Demers

SVP, Branch Banking, Quebec Region
Chair, Quebec Market, TD Bank Group

In June 2015, Sylvie Demers was named Senior Vice President of Branch Banking in Quebec. In this role, she is responsible for developing and executing business strategy, ensuring the growth of Branch Banking and providing value-added services to our TD customers. In November 2015, she was named Chair of TD's Executive Committee in Quebec. The committee's mandate is to significantly increase its presence in the province across all sectors.

Previously, Sylvie was Vice President, Strategic Initiatives, based in Toronto and was also President, Affinity Market Group at TD Insurance.

Sylvie joined TD in 1985 and has held various positions, including in Commercial Banking Services, Corporate Banking and Retail Banking. She was also Regional Vice President and Market Leader, Eastern Canada, Private Client Services for TD Waterhouse. She gained expertise through her various roles in the financing of private and public companies.

Her deep financial knowledge combined with her people skills has enabled her to succeed on an analytical level as well as in business development and team mobilization. Sylvie has always made her mark as a leader; her strength lies in her ability to assess the talents of her team members and to create strong organizational structures. She knows how to maximize her employees' strengths to achieve excellent results.

In 2018, the Quebec Business Women Network recognized Sylvie's expertise by nominating her a finalist for the Quebec Business Women Awards in the Executive, Managerial or Professional, Private Company category. A year later, in 2019, Sylvie also distinguished herself in the financial sector by being appointed to the Board of Governors of Finance Montréal, then by being invited as a speaker at the Cercle de la finance internationale de Montréal to share her vision as for the future of bank branches. Added to this is her term as chair of the Quebec Committee of the Canadian Bankers Association. Her 35 years of sustained involvement in TD combined with her significant social commitment made her the winner of the Top 25 of the financial industry in the category of National financial institutions and the Financial Personality of 2019 of the Quebec financial newspaper Finance and Investment.

Sylvie is known for her balanced approach. She recognizes the importance of giving back and is very involved with non-profit organizations. Over the years, Sylvie has assumed the honorary chairmanship of various fundraising campaigns for the Breakfast Club, Sainte-Justine Hospital and the Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Research Center. Since 2017, she has been Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts Foundation (MMFA). Finally, Sylvie is the 2020 co-chair of the JGH Fight Cancer Challenge raising vital funds for the Segal Cancer Centre.

Sylvie graduated from HEC Montréal and holds a specialization in Finance.

Ken Harris

Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Plusgrade

Ken Harris is the Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Plusgrade, a leading technology company in the global travel industry. Since founding Plusgrade in 2009, Ken has created a global business generating billions of dollars of new revenue opportunities and powering leading travel suppliers across over 50 countries. Under Ken's leadership, Plusgrade is consistently recognized as one of North America's fastest-growing technology companies in the annual Deloitte Technology Fast 50™, Fast 500™ awards and recent winner of both the Enterprise Fast 15™ award and Canada Leadership Award. As an executive leader and proven entrepreneur, Ken has been featured and quoted in many notable worldwide publications including The Wall Street Journal, CNN, TIME, La Presse, The Globe & Mail, The Economist and CNBC.

Grace Lutfy

First Vice-President Investment Advisor
CIBC Wood Gundy

Grace has been providing investment advice and strategies to affluent clients since 1986. Her career started as a runner on the Montreal Stock Exchange. She has been awarded membership in the chairman's council at CIBC Wood Gundy.

Her personal experience of being raised in an entrepreneurial family gives her personal insight and understanding of issues affecting private family business. Her business knowledge and ability to build long-lasting, personalized relationships allows her to remain connected to her clients.

Grace works with professionals to implement wealth management strategies that align with clients' needs and wants.

Her many passions involve various causes and interests with her identical twin. A lifetime of involvement in the Cedars Cancer Foundation, of which Grace's Uncle Joseph Chamandy founded. In addition to the Cedars Cancer, generous donations have been provided to Chez Doris, a social services organization. Participation in raising funds for ALS, Mindstrong and JGH Foundation.

As Grace lives life as a daring adventure, one of her many hobbies involves travelling the world and experiencing the rich cultures of the different countries. Part of this experience involves the discovery of new chefs in Montreal and abroad.

Grace has a love of water and swimming. Taking part in the National Waterpolo team and National War Canoe team. Other hobbies include pilates, spinning, walking, reading, art & theatre.

Jean-François Prince

Regional Vice President
Business Financial Services
Quebec Headquarters
RBC Royal Bank

As Regional Vice President, Jean-François Prince has headed the Business Financial Services and Specialized Financing teams since 2017, including real estate, health professionals, public sector, life sciences/media and information technology.

Since arriving at RBC in 1994, he has held various management positions in Quebec, the Atlantic provinces and Toronto, in both Business Financial Services and Risk Management.

In addition to his professional activities, Jean-François provides ongoing support to various mentorship, talent development and advisory programs within the organization, while being engaged in the community. In 2019, Jean-François humbly accepted to sit on various boards of Directors which are including Montreal International as well as their audit and finance committee.

Jean-François has a Bachelor of Commerce from the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières and a Master of Business Administration, Finance from Université Laval. He also holds the designation of Charted Financial Analyst with the CFA Montréal.

Jean-François and his spouse have two children.