Recently, at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, the gracious Beverly and Robert Cohen in collaboration with the Israel Cancer Research Fund and Rachel’s Society which Mrs. Cohen chairs, attending Benjamin Bonavida, Ph.D, professor of immunology and the Chairman of ICRF Los Angeles chapter, held a cozy event.
The keynote speaker was Ran Taube, Ph.D., associate professor working at the Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Genetics Faculty of Health and Sciences at Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Israel. Mr. Taube’s discovery is the connection between HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) and MLL Leukemia.
Israel Cancer Research Fund (ICRF), is a U.S.-based charity devoted to supporting cancer research in Israel. It was founded in 1975 by a group of American and Canadian researchers, oncologists and lay people. They were determined to harness Israel’s educational and scientific resources in the fight against cancer.
ICRF is a nationwide charitable organization that receives its total income from private donations. Its initial purpose was to stem the “brain drain” of Israeli researchers by providing funds for postdoctoral fellowships for young Ph.Ds.
Let’s Get Rid of Cancer
Parallels between leukemia and HIV hints at cure; Israeli breakthrough could be key to finding solution for destroying human immunodeficiency virus before it progresses to AIDS.
Mr. Taube witnesses that we live in exciting times in the world of cancer research. If, for two days, you missed looking at the news on your smart phone you may find yourself behind. That is how fast cancer research is progressing when everyday there is a new discovery. To top it all, Israel is on the front line in cancer research fields.
ICRF provides the greatest support and is the most prestigious organization for cancer research in Israel.
We all know of people who had, have or lost their life to cancer. My younger sister died of this terrible disease at the young age of 59.
If there is no research there is no cure, there is no saving life. Helping ICRF to find a cure and relief from cancer is humanity’s prioritized Mitzvah and one giant step in Tikun Olam – repairing the world. It is just like Dr. Jonas E. Salk and Dr. Albert B. Sabin, the pioneer researchers who discovered the vaccine and serum to combat the crippling and killing polio disease, that affected millions of people throughout the world annually. The researchers want to get rid of cancer.