Leading medical professionals and research scientists, healthcare policy makers, investors, and philanthropic supporters will gather at Rambam Health Care Campus, Israel’s leading medical center, June 7-9th for its annual summit. This year’s theme is “From Vision to Reality” and will showcase the latest medical innovations and give host to leaders in medicine.

Israel’s Ninth President, Shimon Peres and Emeritus Chief Rabbi of the United Kingdom, Lord Jonathan Sacks will receive the summit’s highest honor, the 2015 Rambam Award, for their contributions to Israel and the Jewish people. Professor Mary-Claire King will receive the Rambam Award for her pioneering research discoveries in genetics – including work that led to identification of breast cancer genes. Also receiving similar awards at the gala is shipping magnate Eyal Ofer, and Mariita and George Feldenkreis of Miami, Chair and CEO of Perry Ellis International. The summit is open to those interested in attending. Delegations from around the world, including the United States and Europe, will be joining the program.

Attendees will have the opportunity to tour Iron Dome sites throughout northern Israel and hear an Israel Defense Forces strategy briefing, view the newly-renovated Ruth Rappaport Children’s Hospital and hear discussion panels with medical leaders from around the world on an array of groundbreaking medical topics. In addition, the June 9th gala will include a ribbon-cutting ceremony to inaugurate the Joseph Fishman Oncology Center. The new cancer center will be the most advanced cancer treatment center in northern Israel and will offer comprehensive, compassionate and innovative treatment and research.

“There is an exciting agenda for this year’s summit and we are delighted to host such a high profile list of attendees to the hospital,” said Director General of Rambam Rafi Beyar. “Rambam is cutting-edge in a variety of fields in medicine and we welcome this opportunity to showcase it to the world. In addition, we always promote dialogue and the exchange of innovative ideas. Our panels and discussions will prove fruitful for this.”

King, a genetics professor at the University of Washington, and recipient of the Lasker Award, is best known for pioneering the discovery of genetic variants that account for a high percentage of breast and ovarian cancer risk, as well as numerous other breakthroughs in population genetics in human health and well-being.

“We are thrilled to have Professor King at Rambam for our summit,” said Beyar. “Her research discoveries have literally saved the lives of many thousands of people and revolutionized our understanding of the genetics of human health and disease. She is a hero and we are honored to host her.”

Also on the summit agenda is a live simulation of the Samy Ofer Underground Fortified Emergency Hospital on June 8 at 10:30. A recent report published by the Israeli Home Front Command Center has cautioned that Hezbollah has rocket attack capabilities unlike ever before, making the underground hospital of the utmost importance to citizens of northern Israel and for the safety of the hospital’s patients.

Rambam Health Care Campus is a 1,000-bed academic hospital serving the over 2 million residents of Northern Israel. Providing comprehensive medical services in all medical specialties, Rambam is the tertiary referral center for 12 district hospitals. Rambam Health Care Campus’s garage can be converted into a 2,000-bed full-service underground hospital, the largest in the world.

In addition to the citizens of Northern Israel, Rambam serves the Israel Defense Forces Northern Command, UN Peacekeeping Forces, and the US 6th Fleet.

Many of Rambam’s physicians participate in cutting-edge research projects to bring new therapies and treatments not only to their patients, but the greater community of the world. Rambam Heath Care Campus proudly believes that everyone deserves the highest quality of care and has always opened its doors to all those in need, regardless of their religious, race, and ethnicity.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)