Brown's wife honors unique J'lem cancer clinic in London

Sarah Brown was so impressed with the breast cancer detection clinic in Givat Shaul that she said she wanted to get the word out.

By JUDY SIEGEL-ITZKOVICH
sorotzkin sarah brown 248.88 (photo credit: Courtesy)
sorotzkin sarah brown 248.88
(photo credit: Courtesy)
The wife of British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has for the first time committed herself to become the honorary patron of a non-British charitable organization - Hala, the Rachel Nash Jerusalem Comprehensive Breast Clinic. Sarah Brown, who visited the clinic in the capital's Givat Shaul neighborhood last July, was so impressed that she said her own country had none like it and that she wanted the word to get out. Hala, founded and directed by Rabbi Michoel Sorotzkin, is a "one-stop shop" for women suspected of having breast cancer. The clinic, which was established by The Nash Family Foundation and became Israel's most advanced breast cancer detection and diagnostic center, is now marking the milestone of 100,000 women who have been examined there since its founding in 1997. The center provides top medical staff and a state-of-the-art facility that has saved many lives with early and accurate detection. A comparison between the fragmented diagnostic models used throughout Israel and the comprehensive care in Hala reveals that detection is increased by 31 percent using the Hala model and that unnecessary procedures for healthy women (false-positives) are cut by 48%. Sarah Brown hosted an unusual reception this week at 10 Downing Street in honor of the clinic. The British Friends of Hala (which was represented at the reception) has dedicated itself to Hala and plans for a doubling of the organization's capacity by building a new, expanded facility that will offer the same level of excellence. Brown's guests at the glatt kosher reception were Sorotzkin and leading members of the Jewish community and prominent international guests. These included venture capitalist Sir Ronald Cohen and Lady Sharon Harel-Cohen; Dr. Kobi and Dr. Judith Richter; Gerry and Barbara Hines; Dr. Jean de Gunzburg; Sir Harry and Lady Solomon; Sir Ian and Lady Gainsford; Dr. Miriam Stoppard; Dame Gail Ronson, Martin and Susan Paisner, Howard and Nancy Marks; Edward Atkin; Mr. and Mrs. Israel Weinstock; Benjamin and Dr. Shoshana Perl; Ramy and Smadar Goldstein; Dorit Moussaief; Debra Black; Caryl Englander; Pamela Rohr; Daniella Luxemburg; Oded and Ella Gera; and Denise Effandi.