Two recent “Cards for a Cause” events featured the groundbreaking scientific research happening at the College of Medicine and Montefiore Einstein. At the 2025 Einstein Women’s Division “Cards for a Cause” benefit, chaired by longtime member Carol Roaman, supporters gathered at the Harmonie Club in New York City for an afternoon that combined fashion and jewelry boutiques, lunch, and plenty of canasta while spotlighting advances in sleep medicine.
Einstein Board Chair Emerita Ruth Gottesman, Ed.D., left, Renee Belfer, and Karen Mandelbaum
The event’s keynote speaker, Michael J. Thorpy, M.B., Ch.B., a professor in the Saul R. Korey Department of Neurology and the director of the Montefiore Einstein Sleep-Wake Disorders Center, shared insights into the importance of sleep for overall health and the center’s expanding work in diagnosing and treating sleep disorders.
New York City speaker Michael Thorpy, M.B., Ch.B., with Bernice Adell
Dr. Thorpy also reflected on Einstein’s longstanding leadership in sleep research and offered practical advice for maintaining healthy sleep habits. Among his recommendations: Aim for 7.5 hours of sleep each night and wake up at the same time every day, regardless of when you fall asleep.
Attendees also heard remarks from the Einstein Board Chair Emerita, Ruth L. Gottesman, Ed.D.; Yaron Tomer, M.D., Einstein’s Marilyn and Stanley M. Katz Dean; and Women’s Division co-presidents Trudy Schlachter and Terri Goldberg.
Terri Golberg and Einstein Trustee Marla Schaefer
Florida speaker Julio A. Aguirre-Ghiso, Ph.D., director of the Cancer Dormancy Institute at Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center
Einstein expanded the reach of “Cards for a Cause” in January 2026, hosting its first on-the-road event in Boca Raton, Fla. The gathering, co-hosted by Ms. Goldberg and Einstein Trustee Marla Schaefer, featured a presentation by Julio Aguirre-Ghiso, Ph.D., the director of the Cancer Dormancy Institute at the Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dr. Aguirre-Ghiso is also a professor of cell biology, of oncology, and of medicine, and the Rose C. Falkenstein Chair in Cancer Research at Einstein.
Arlene Caplan and Einstein Trustee Karen Mandelbaum
Donna Slotnick and Jan Ruben
Joyce Bloom and Mary Koroghlian
Dr. Aguirre-Ghiso described the institute’s pioneering work, exploring how dormant cancer cells behave and how they might be kept “asleep” or eliminated before they reactivate. The Cancer Dormancy Institute, which now has more than 40 scientists, is already generating discoveries with remarkable potential to transform cancer care. Because the research is disease-agnostic, its findings could ultimately have an impact on many types of cancer.
Established in 1953, the Einstein Women’s Division has raised more than $100 million to support research in breast cancer, translational medicine, molecular cardiology, and many other fields. Events such as “Cards for a Cause” continue to bring together the Einstein community to celebrate scientific progress and help fuel the discoveries of tomorrow.
