Donor Stories

Howard Anson was just 66 when he was diagnosed with a terminal form of brain cancer called Glioblastoma (GBM). The beloved husband, father, and grandfather from Edmonton, AB had none of the typical symptoms, so the family was shocked when Howard was diagnosed suddenly, and died seven months later in 2018.

“I thought that because he did so well with surgery and radiation that there was hope,” says his wife, Debbie. “But treatment hasn’t changed much in 50 years—it’s largely ineffective. There was no hope.”

GBM is a rare but highly aggressive form of brain cancer, with the survival rate of 14 months post-diagnosis. “Everybody dies,” says Debbie.

The family became involved with ICRF in 2019. In addition to raising money for the Howard Anson Memorial Fund, the Ansons also became a scientific grant sponsor. They are currently funding the promising work of an ICRF-funded researcher, Professor Tali Ilovitsh (https://icrf.ca/tali-ilovitsh-phd/), from Tel Aviv University. Her research aims to establish crucial tools for brain cancer therapy, including noninvasive surgery, drug delivery, and opening the blood-brain barrier. Professor Ilovitsh will be in Toronto on June 2 for a workshop on Brain Health.

As sponsors, the family has met with Professor Ilovitsh to learn more about her work. “What she’s doing will make it easier to get a diagnosis earlier, have more targeted treatment, and give people hope,” says Debbie. “The answer to cancer is research. The answer to research is in Israel.”

Now that the Ansons are ICRF grant sponsors, they are feeling more positive about the future. “We miss Howard so much. He had more life to live. The kids and I still needed him,” says Debbie. “But our involvement with ICRF makes us feel like Howard’s death will not be in vain. Our hope now is that other people will have more hope. If we can give that to someone else, we’d be happier.”

To hear more about sponsoring an ICRF researcher, please contact Elysa Greisman at egreisman@icrf.ca.

The Rotenberg family—Debbie, Joel, Carly and Jordana—has been involved with ICRF since 2007. It was that year that Debbie Rotenberg’s mother passed away. Her family and her brother’s family established the Shilamus Katchky Memorial Fund at ICRF Toronto in her honour. When her father passed in 2018, the fund was renamed the Shilamus and Max Katchky Memorial Fund.

“We would make annual donations to provide ongoing support to ICRF,” said Debbie Rotenberg.

But the family’s resolve to contribute to cancer research in Israel only strengthened when Carly was diagnosed with cancer at age 24. “Hers was unfortunate, horrible, bad luck. There was no explanation. It wasn’t genetic. It was sheer bad luck,” said Rotenberg.

In 2025, her husband Joel would encounter the same bad luck. “He was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in October,” said Rotenberg. “He was supposed to start chemo, but they had to admit him because his health was in crisis.”

The beloved husband and father’s diagnosis was changed to multiple myeloma/plasma cell leukemia, an extremely rare, quick, and fatal disease. Joel died within 11 days, on November 9. The family asked people to contribute to ICRF in his memory and they have been generously giving to the Shilamus and Max Katchky Memorial Fund ever since.

“Plasma cell leukemia has a very rapid course, providing little opportunity for researchers to study it,” said Debbie. “Providing financial support to the brilliant minds doing cancer research in Israel feels like a productive way to channel our grief.”

Since her late husband was a huge supporter of Israel and ICRF Toronto, Rotenberg knows Joel would be very proud of the funds their family and friends are raising. “He would feel it was very important to continue funding Israeli researchers,” said Rotenberg. “Our hope is that somebody else can be saved through their work.”

When Rebecca Simpson was diagnosed with breast cancer, she and her family were shocked. Despite regular screenings, the disease had already progressed to Stage 4 by the time of her diagnosis. In June 2025, the beloved wife and mother lost her long-running battle against cancer. To honour Rebecca’s life and legacy, her husband, Alan, along with their family, recently made a generous donation to ICRF to help fund research that leads to earlier detection and better treatments.

As Alan explains, Rebecca had a remarkable gift for making everyone around her feel valued and uplifted. “Supporting ICRF in her memory isn’t just about finding a cure—it’s about honouring her spirit of compassion, optimism, and love of life,” he says. “This gift is a way to continue her legacy of kindness, strength, and hope.”

Generously donating to ICRF was an easy choice, as Rebecca and Alan have always shared a deep love for Israel and the Jewish people. “Supporting ICRF brings together two causes close to our hearts—advancing world-class cancer research and doing so in Israel, a country known for its innovation and medical excellence. ICRF’s work represents hope, science, and the kind of impact Rebecca would have been proud of.”

Alan hopes this gift will inspire others to support cutting-edge cancer research and ensure that more people receive an early diagnosis and the chance for a cure. “If Rebecca’s story encourages even one person to take action, her light continues to make a difference.”