Mount Sinai South Nassau receives $1 million donation

Mount Sinai South Nassau has received a $1 million donation from the Betty Ajces Trust to enhance cancer patient clinical trials and research on Long Island. This marks the second significant contribution from the Trust, following a $200,000 donation last August that established the Leon and Betty Ajces Memorial Fund to support the hospital’s cancer research and prevention efforts.

“This generous gift will allow us to offer patients access to cutting-edge cancer therapies, technologies, and treatment protocols through clinical trials, right here on Long Island,” said Adhi Sharma, president of Mount Sinai South Nassau. “Patients will no longer need to travel to New York City for these opportunities.”

As part of the Mount Sinai Health System’s National Clinical Trial Network, Mount Sinai South Nassau’s Department of Clinical Research plays a crucial role in leading clinical trials to establish new standards of care, test innovative treatment approaches, and validate new human genome biomarkers.

“We are pleased to support Mount Sinai South Nassau in expanding access to the latest cancer treatments on Long Island,” said Alan Weiner, trustee of the Betty Ajces Trust and a longtime friend of the Ajces family.”

The department, based at the Gertrude & Louis Feil Cancer Center in Valley Stream, collaborates closely with The Tisch Cancer Institute in Manhattan, a National Cancer Institute-designated center known for its pioneering cancer research. The Gertrude & Louis Feil Cancer Center treats approximately 2,500 patients annually and is equipped with advanced technologies for cancer treatment. Through its partnership with the Mount Sinai Health System, Mount Sinai South Nassau offers a range of innovative clinical trials and access to leading oncologists specializing in both common and rare cancers. The $1 million donation will help Mount Sinai South Nassau extend access to clinical trials already underway at The Tisch Cancer Institute.

“This gift will allow us to expand our support for these trials and increase access for patients who prefer not to travel to New York City,” said Rajiv Datta, chair of the department of surgery and director of the Feil Cancer Center.

The hospital’s protocol review committee, comprising specialists and support services, ensures that all clinical trials align with the National Cancer Institute’s standards and the hospital’s mission. The Institutional Review Board then provides regulatory oversight to safeguard patients participating in these trials. Currently, Mount Sinai South Nassau has patients enrolled in breast and lung cancer clinical trials.

Betty Ajces, born in Jackson Heights, Queens, in 1929, had a deep connection to the arts, performing with an “all-girl” jazz trio in the late 1940s and 1950s, and serving as Chair of the Board of the Rockaway-Five Towns Orchestra. She passed away in August 2022 at the age of 93. Her husband, Leon Ajces, was a Ukrainian-born immigrant and World War II veteran who later became a successful businessman in the United States.

“This gift will significantly enhance our ability to provide cutting-edge treatments and clinical trials to our Long Island patients,” said Karyn Goodman, associate director of clinical research at The Tisch Cancer Institute.