Modern medical miracles through Hadassah

Joyce Toub, Collier/Lee Hadassah President

Post Passover is a time when a series of holidays give historical significance to our very being. By the time you read this, Yom Hashoah will have passed. We are responsible for the memory of the six million, and we must continually root out the hatred and bigotry that seems to have increased exponentially recently. The number of antisemitic incidents worldwide rose sharply last year, particularly in the United States, Great Britain, Germany and Australia. A new report by Tel Aviv University suggests the increase was prompted by left- and right-wing political movements as well as social media.

Hadassah’s dedication to ensuring the well-being, security and fair treatment of everyone goes a long way in combating this plague. We reflect upon those who sacrificed their lives. We honor them on Yom Hazikaron, Israel’s Memorial Day, followed by Yom Ha’atzmaut, Israeli Independence Day. We can take great pride knowing that Hadassah has been an integral part of the Jewish and Zionist experience, instrumental in building the Jewish state and creating roles for women that simply didn’t exist before Henrietta Szold.

I am not dismissing all the complex issues in our world today, but I’d like to focus on some modern medical miracles. Our recent Hadassah magazine tells us about robotic technology that minimizes risk and performs complex healing techniques that didn’t exist a few years ago. The robots, with more than $1 million worth of equipment donated by the United States Agency for International Development, have sensitive mechanical arms that can manipulate cameras and surgical instruments. Software guides the robots, giving surgeons more precise control and minimizing human error. Procedures that transmit visual information more accurately than the human eye can be performed, and surgeries are minimally invasive.

At Hadassah Medical Organization, doctors in a new $6 million neuroangiography suite in the Sarah Wetsman Davidson Hospital Tower on Hadassah‘s Ein Kerem campus are performing these miracles daily. The shortened time and greater accuracy mean many more patients can undergo surgery than in the past. If a patient was ill or too old, they may have been rejected, especially for brain and spinal pain surgeries. Pushing boundaries and sharing what Hadassah achieves with the rest of the world is Hadassah’s moral obligation.

The podcast, “Hadassah On Call: New Frontiers in Medicine,” explores the detection and treatment of ovarian cancer at Hadassah. You can catch up with a panel discussion on post-traumatic stress disorder featuring HMO experts and watch four episodes of new programs at hadassah.org/hadassahoncall.

Please remember to view our Expanding Horizons programs in May, June and July. This past month, we discovered how “Mindful Motion” using Qigong can cultivate vibrant health in the body, and our baking chef, Stephanie Schwartz, was back by popular demand! In June, we will discuss “The Magic of Book Clubs.” In July, several women will discuss their satisfaction in creating art and handiwork in different media.

For those of you leaving the area for cooler climes, safe traveling and keep well. We are looking forward to your return when we will meet in person once again. Have a safe and wonderful summer!