Men with a mission

How men support Hadassah

Diane Schwartz, Presidents Council for Collier/Lee Chapter

Hadassah is a global organization with members, participants, donors, services, medical care and research shared around the world.

In the United States, 700 chapters and 300,000 members across the country make Hadassah the largest Jewish women’s organization. Hadassah Associates are part of this powerful group. Focused on making a vital impact on men’s health, Hadassah Associates’ center of attention is to support Hadassah Medical Organization (HMO) and the groundbreaking medical advances that will affect men’s lives around the world.

Guest speaker Hadassah International Liaison, Division of Philanthropy Dr. Karen Ezrine will speak on “Updates from Hadassah Medical Organization: Serving Israel and the World.”

You can experience a Hadassah Associates’ program on March 18, 1-3 p.m. at the Nina Iser Jewish Cultural Center (6017 Pine Ridge Road, Naples). The Collier/Lee Chapter and Jewish Federation of Greater Naples jointly sponsor this Hadassah Associates’ Mel Toub Lecture Series. Registration is $18. With a $100, one-time, separate donation made directly to Hadassah.org, you will become a Lifetime Affiliate of Hadassah, and your name will appear on the Associates’ Honor Roll at www.hadassah.org/ menshealth.

The growing demand and need for a larger, more efficient surgical day care department calls for the renovation and expansion of the existing department in the round building at Hadassah Hospital. The National Associates are rising to the challenge and will raise funds for a men’s ambulatory recovery hall in the surgical day care department. Upon completion of surgery, male patients will be transferred to the men’s ambulatory recovery for post-surgical observation ranging from one to three hours, where patients will continue to awaken fully from sedation. The recovery area will be furnished with recliners and equipped with patient monitors.

The Men’s Health Initiative has focused on three areas: prostate cancer, lung cancer and heart disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control (U.S. statistics), prostate cancer is the No. 1 most common cancer in men; lung cancer is the No. 1 cause of cancer death for men and women in the U.S.; and heart disease is the No. 1 cause of death for men in the U.S.

Prostate cancer can only be cured if diagnosed early, while the tumor is confined to the prostate gland. It is second only to lung cancer as a leading cause of cancer death in American men. One in six men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer; one in 36 will die from the disease.

The survival rate for lung cancer is only 20% after five years. In Israel, HMO’s Sharett Institute of Oncology is a referral center for cancer patients from all over the world.

Heart disease kills one in four American men. Hadassah Medical Organization is committed to preventing, diagnosing, treating and continuing research that could one day eradicate heart disease.

Choose action! Make your impact by fighting these deadly diseases through the Hadassah Associates Men’s Health Initiative and by supporting HMO’s outstanding patient care and cutting-edge research that benefits men worldwide. Choose the one that means the most to you, including the new surgical day care department needs.

Please join us

We are celebrating Hadassah’s founding 113 years ago with these events:

March 7 – Hadassah Shabbat Zachor, 7:30 p.m. at Temple Shalom

March 8 – Hadassah Shabbat Zachor, 9:30 a.m. at Beth Tikvah Synagogue

March 24 – Spring Meeting Luncheon at the Nina Iser Jewish Cultural Center with “That’s Entertainment” featuring Brett Foreman, noted leader of his band and popular performer throughout Southwest Florida.

For information, contact collierlee hadassah@gmail.com.