finding hope beyond the pink ribbons

My friend Sean Moore, Orit's husband, posted the following note on FB. I reprint it here with his permission:

An enormous number of people have asked about donations in Orit’s name over the past 2 weeks. As many of you know, Orit was very academically minded and spent considerable time reading the medical literature and evaluating charities. We found that most cancer research charities had very high administration fees and poor impact factors. We came across some specific research, which has very good promise in helping find a cure. The Ottawa Hospital Foundation has set up a fund, which will be used 100% to go directly to this work. The discovery is very novel and was published in the world’s most prestigious scientific journal in June of this year. I will include a link to their latest publication and an easy to understand explanation:

http://www.fbmc.fcen.uba.ar/materias/qbiia/seminarios-2012/seminario-6-28-y-30-de-mayo.-hipoxia-y-autofagia/A-Nature%2012%20AOP%20may6.pdf

Here is a link to an easy to understand summary of the research:

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/health/discovery+offers+hope+cancer+heart+disease+miracle+drugs+with+video/6574966/story.html

Donations in Orit’s name can be made online by using the following link:

https://secure.e2rm.com/registrant/donate.aspx?TributeType=Memoriam&EventID=1819&LangPref=en-CA&Referrer=http%3A%2F%2Fohfoundation.ca%2F

The first page will capture the information regarding the person making the donation. Under “Donation Information”, please choose “Other” in the drop down menu and specify “As requested by family” in the space provided. Once the donation portion is completed, you’ll be directed to a page to indicate that the donation is being made in memory of Orit and to indicate if an acknowledgement should be sent. Tax receipts are immediately available after donation is done.

Donations can be sent by mail (indicate in memory of Orit Fruchtman) to
The Ottawa Hospital Foundation, 737 Parkdale Ave, 1st Floor, Ottawa, ON K1Y1J8.

Donations can also be taken by phone by calling (613) 761-4295.

1 in 8 women will get breast cancer. Research is the only path to finding better treatments and a cure to this disease, which has devastated our family and so many others across the world.

Love, Sean

"The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit.”  Nelson Henderson

This message had a very strong impact on me. Orit was a very smart woman. Sean is a doctor. I trust their judgement. And I agree with their priorities. 


Let's do something great to honour a wonderful woman. Let's help fund research that will effect real change. I donated. Will you?