My family’s cancer story

Jennifer Ouaknine, Executive Director – ICRF Toronto

This year, Breast Cancer Awareness Month has reached a new level of meaning to me, as my sister Judy was diagnosed with stage one breast cancer on October 19th, 2017. My beautiful sister went for her routine mammogram. The technician called the doctor in, who immediately told my sister “We are happy you caught it early.” I received a phone call immediately after this appointment from my sister, very composed and said “I think I have breast cancer.” I immediately ran to my co-workers and told them I was rushing to be by my sister’s side. I distinctly remember saying the words, “I knew there was a reason why I came to work at ICRF.” I accompanied my sister to her family doctor, along with her eldest daughter Maytal, to get the ball in motion. I was the strong one at the appointment. I was the one that was going to make everything better… at least that is what I told myself. My sister Judy was terrified; the “C” word is so scary. She was going to fight this, kick this cancer to the curb. Her physician said to us, “You are going to be ok, you will not die from this.” This alone brought us to tears…

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Dr. Carmit Levy, PhD

Research Faculty: Tel Aviv University

Born in Jerusalem, Israel, Dr. Carmit Levy, a young principal investigator, established her own lab at Tel-Aviv University in April 2011, after completing post-doctoral study at the lab of David Fisher, at Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA.

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Scientific Review Panel

Israeli cancer researchers and scientists seeking ICRF grants fill out a detailed application form and submit it to ICRF’s Scientific Review Panel comprised of eminent physicians and cancer researchers from across the U.S. and Canada.

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