Our Mission
Robin and Joseph Kanarek founded the Kanarek Family Foundation, a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization, in 2006 to honor the memory of their son, David, who lost his life to leukemia at the age of 15. The mission of the foundation, is to improve the quality of life for those impacted by cancer and other serious, life threatening conditions through the promotion, education and integration of palliative and supportive care into all areas of health care.
Context for Our Work
The catalyst for the creation of the Kanarek Family Foundation was the loss of Robin and Joseph’s young son, David in
2000, following a five year battle with cancer. Even with the most advanced medical care available, the psycho-social
circumstances of a patient undergoing intensive, curative treatment can be neglected due to its complexities, affecting them and their family. Quality of care, trust and compassion can also be impeded if the patient is not cared for as a whole person. It was through the Kanareks own experience with David that they realized that there are critical aspects of psychological, emotional and spiritual support required in caring for those with a life threatening illness. Palliative and supportive care addresses these critical issues and takes into consideration the needs of a patient with a serious illness and provides a layer of support—to the patient and their families. The Kanareks are ardent believers that nurses have an essential role in promoting and educating the benefits of this emerging field into their practice and into health care services.
Approach
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We invest in concepts that are innovative and practical.
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We actively consult and engage with each program that the Foundation supports.
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We encourage all initiatives to make a commitment to the promotion and education of nursing professionals
and to consider the impact the profession can have as leaders in a complex health care environment. -
Each organization we work with will be expected to provide the Foundation with periodic reports and measureable results to demonstrate that the cause we sponsor will have a positive impact on patient care or health care delivery.
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The Kanarek Family Foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for proposals at this time.
Board of Directors
Robin Kanarek, RN, President
Joseph Kanarek, Vice-President
Jenny Devanny, CPA, Secretary and Treasurer
Bruce Shapiro, MD
Malcolm Martin, Esq
David Leibell, Esq
Sarah (Kanarek) Kagan, MS, OTR
David Kesner, Esq
