MRW Benefit Committee Luncheon Surpasses Record-breaking $100,000 for Cancer Survivors and New Mental Health Program for Teens
The 23rd annual Myra Rubenstein Weis (MRW) Benefit Committee Luncheon successfully honored its mission of funding wellness and education for NorthShore University HealthSystem patients, welcoming a sellout crowd and surpassing a record-breaking $100,000. Based on funds raised through this event, the group proudly announces its financial support of a new mental health program for teens, "Arts 4 Health."
"The MRW Benefit Committee is committed to raising funds for a diverse range of programs and for that we are so thankful. Each program fulfills a different need to educate and empower people in our communities to make informed decisions to improve their health. Through their fundraising efforts, the Committee has been able to touch the lives of so many," explains Kate Beckering, Associate Vice President of Operations at NorthShore University HealthSystem Foundation.
Eileen Rubenstein Goldstein and Paul Goldstein, MD, of Highland Park, have led the MRW Committee through its successes. "The MRW Committee is thrilled to announce our support for a new mental health program for teens, 'Arts 4 Health'. There is a great need for mental health resources for teens and we are honored to positively contribute to this impactful, new program committed to providing these resources," says Rubenstein Goldstein.
Julian Bailes, MD, Chairman of the Department of Neurosurgery and Co-Director of the NorthShore Neurological Institute presented at the luncheon. Dr. Bailes shared the latest breakthroughs in Traumatic Brain Injury Research & Care. The renowned movie Concussion is about the research conducted by Dr. Bailes (played by Alec Baldwin) and Bennet Omalu, MD, on football-related brain injury and the early cases of chronic traumatic encephalopathy.
Event honoree Mark Talamonti, MD, was recognized for his commitment and service to the NorthShore University HealthSystem community as a physician, teacher and an exceptional leader. Long-respected by his colleagues and patients, Dr. Talamonti specializes in oncologic surgery, pancreatic cancer and pancreaticobiliary disease.
Since 2006, the Benefit has funded the Myra Rubenstein Weis Living in the Future (LIFE) Cancer Survivorship Program, including sponsorship of the Myra Rubenstein Weis Cancer Survivorship Seminars. The free educational lectures are open to the public and include topics of importance to cancer survivors, including nutrition, exercise and genetics. In addition to the LIFE Program, funds raised from the Luncheon will support an innovative pilot project that will educate the next generation about personalized medicine and how genomics is transforming healthcare. Funds also support the Myra Rubenstein Weis Health Resource Center, which is dedicated to promoting health education and awareness to the communities served by Highland Park Hospital and NorthShore University HealthSystem (NorthShore); and the new Arts 4 Health series of mental health courses, designed to provide a therapeutic experience for students and families in the community.
Background
Family and friends of Myra Rubenstein Weis honor her life by supporting wellness and cancer survivorship programs at NorthShore. Myra Rubenstein Weis was actively involved in the Highland Park community. After being diagnosed with breast cancer, she lived for 10 years before the disease claimed her life in 1990. Her sister, Eileen Rubenstein Goldstein, and her brother-in-law, Paul D. Goldstein, MD, continue to honor Myra's life and her upbeat spirit by hosting an annual spring benefit luncheon with a group of dedicated volunteers and friends who plan the event.
For more information on the MRW Benefit Committee, visit https://foundation.northshore.org/mrw.
About NorthShore University HealthSystem
NorthShore University HealthSystem is an integrated healthcare delivery system consistently ranked as a Top 15 Teaching Hospital in the U.S. The NorthShore system, headquartered in Evanston, IL, includes four hospitals - Evanston, Glenbrook, Highland Park and Skokie. NorthShore also includes a 900 physician multispecialty group practice, NorthShore Medical Group, located in over 100 locations in the Chicagoland area. NorthShore is a Magnet recognized organization, the first in Illinois to receive this prestigious honor as an entire system that demonstrates excellence in nursing and high standards in patient care. The system also supports the NorthShore Research Institute; the NorthShore Foundation; and the NorthShore Home & Hospice Services. In addition to launching Be Well Lake County, a community health initiative committed to providing greater access to comprehensive care, NorthShore contributes more than $210 million in charitable care and services to the communities it serves.