As Jews, we are often weighing our choices and analyzing our options through a Torah lens. Have we made the right decision? Have we done right by others? We all know the feeling of doubt and uncertainty that often comes with difficult choices. When faced with decisions that are medically related, the uncertainty can be overwhelming and it can wreak havoc on our peace of mind. Who is the best doctor for this condition? What are my treatment options? How do I get into a clinical trial? Is there really nothing left for my loved one to try? It is very important to us to feel deep down that we have exhausted every option and left no stone unturned.
Enter RCCS, Rofeh Cholim Cancer Society, the unparalleled organization servicing cancer patients and their families. From medical referrals and expedited appointments with top specialists, to generous financial grants and insurance payments, to up-to-date research on the newest treatments and clinical trials, RCCS has built a rock-solid track-record that allows its patients to trust that they are in the best possible hands.
Consider Shlomo* (all names changed for confidentiality), a 35-year-old with stage 3 colorectal cancer that was on the verge of metastasizing. Shlomo’s prognosis was bleak until RCCS got him onto the waiting list for a potentially ground-breaking clinical trial. He was one of only 12 patients who was accepted into that study, and he was able to receive two months of infusions of an experimental drug before having surgery. That treatment saved his life and today he is in remission.
Meet Yakov,* whose mother passed away from cancer a couple of years ago. In a recent conversation, he mentioned that he wishes he had known about RCCS during his mother’s illness so he could have been made aware of other possible treatment options when he was told there was nothing left to be done. Yakov is now supporting RCCS in his mother’s memory, so that other cancer patients can have peace of mind and benefit from RCCS’s vast knowledge of cutting-edge research, access to clinical trials, and financial resources to pay for the often prohibitively expensive treatments.
Six-year-old Moshe* and his family were living in one of the towns next to the Gaza strip. A little over a year ago, he was diagnosed with leukemia and in the late summer of 2023 was battling the last course of aggressive chemo. When the October 7 war broke out, Moshe and his family narrowly and miraculously escaped the massacre with only the shirts on their backs. With no home to return to, they came to New York to stay with distant relatives. Moshe had been scheduled for a battery of tests a few days after Simchat Torah and his parents were extremely distraught as they knew they did not have the funds nor the connections to arrange and pay for the very costly sessions. A call was made to RCCS, and the financial team quickly arranged a special crisis grant while the medical team reached out to a top specialist who agreed to see Moshe on short notice. Moshe’s parents have immense gratitude for the life-saving help and peace of mind that RCCS provided at a moment’s notice.
What wouldn’t you give to know that you or your loved ones have the best possible chance of recovery and survival? Several top-level oncologists have told the RCCS staff that if they would ever receive a cancer diagnosis themselves, they would want RCCS on their team. The services that RCCS works tirelessly to provide are free, yet their value is priceless. In the past 12 months, RCCS has spent over $29 million sharing its special brand of peace-of-mind with 5,194 patients worldwide.
Here in North Jersey, RCCS has helped 118 cancer patients in the last year alone at a cost of $894,731. Please consider partnering with RCCS and taking a share in this life-saving organization by donating generously to its annual online campaign at www.dryveup.com/rccs/bergencounty.
Rabbi Dovid Cofnas is the regional director of development at RCCS for Northern New Jersey. For more information, please contact Rabbi Dovid Cofnas at 201-575-9080 or at [email protected]
