`Making Cancer Pall'

David Hermelin and friends donate $10 million
to create the Hermelin Brain Tumor Center.

HARRY KIRSBAUM

Staff Writer

D

avid Hermelin — entrepreneur, philan-
thropist and communal leader — got the
bad news on Dec. 18, after the dizziness
and double-vision he complained of was
diagnosed as a brain tumor.
Familiar with Dr. Mark Rosenblum, chair of
Henry Ford Health System's Department of
Neurosurgery, and "never one to get on an airplane
and run all over the world for help," Hermelin had
surgery at Henry Ford Hospital three weeks later.
On Wednesday, the U.S. ambassador to Norway,
now on an adjusted work schedule shuttling back
and forth from Oslo to Detroit for treatment,
announced a $10 million donation from family and
friends to launch the Hermelin Brain Tumor Center
as part of the Detroit-based Henry Ford Health
System.
"There's an old expression, 'If you need a helping
hand, look at the end of your arm,"' said Hermelin,
whose three-year diplomatic term began in January
1998. "Well, I want to show you some nice arms."
Overwhelmed by the financial development and
leadership of his friends, he said their gifts were "fol-
lowing the vision of doing the greater good."
The greater good will go toward elevating the
Ford Department of Neurosurgery's brain tumor
research efforts.
Devoted to treatment, research and education in
brain tumor therapy, the Hermelin Center will have
a significant impact on this disease, said Dr.
Rosenblum, the department chair.
"With state-of-the-art technology, for diagnosis
and surgery and new discoveries from our research
team, we are confident we should be able to change
life-threatening brain tumors into a chronic, con-
trollable disease like diabetes," said Dr. Rosenblum.
A nationally recognized specialist in his field, Dr.
Rosenblum came to Henry Ford Health System in
1992, following 13 years as a professor of neurologi-
cal surgery at the University of California at San
Francisco. He's now a professor at Case Western
Reserve University in Cleveland.
In 1999, an expected 20,000 new cases of prima-
ry brain tumors will be diagnosed in the United
States, with an additional 100,000 cases where can-
cer has spread into the brain from another site.
Henry Ford Health System is in a consortium of
nine hospitals around the country that provides the

9/17
1999

14 Detroit Jewish News

Goldman, James and Nancy Grosfeld, Graham
most advanced treatments available for brain-tumor
and Sally Orley, Joseph and Suzanne Orley and
patients. The hospital became one of a select few to
Guardian Industries Corp. of Auburn Hills.
implant high-dose chemotherapy wafers in the
Said Hermelin, a Bingham Farms resident with
brain, a procedure used for Hermelin.
his wife, Doreen, "This is adding another chapter to
The Hermelin Brain Tumor Center will focus on
Detroit's efforts as a major player in an expression I
three main areas of investigation:
call 'making cancer fail.'"
• Anti-invasion tumor therapy. Finding drugs that
can stop tumors from invading
healthy brain regions.
• Gene therapy. Using scientifical-
ly engineered viruses made from
strains from the common cold virus
that, when introduced into the
human body, are able to recognize
cancer cells and kill them.
• Anti-angiogenesis therapy.
Finding drug compounds that can
block a tumor's blood vessel
growth, making the tumor less
generous.
Hermelin, 62, active in real estate
development, ownership and man-
agement, is co-owner of Palace
Sports and Entertainment, which
owns the Palace of Auburn Hills and
Pine Knob Entertainment Centers.
He also is chairman of American-
At Wednesday's press conference are, _Porn left, Di: Mark Rosenblum,
Israel Flat Glass Ltd. in Israel's
William Davidson, David Hermelin, Dr. Tom MikkeLsen (a Ford
Central Galilee region.
neurooncologist), and Eugene Applebaum.
In accepting his ambassadorship,
Hermelin had to resign from active
involvement in his business and community activities.
That involvement has included chairing the
oversight committee of the Barbara Ann
In proclamations, government leaders were effu-
Karmanos Cancer Institute in Detroit, president
sive about the new Hermelin Center:
of the World ORT Union and international chair-
• Detroit Mayor Dennis Archer — "The
man of State of Israel Bonds. He has been an offi-
establishment of this wonderful center is a very
cer of the United Synagogue for Conservative
fitting tribute to you, Ambassador Hermelin,
Judaism, the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan
for the devotion you have shown to the City of
Detroit and the University of Michigan Major
Detroit and to local charities through the years.
You have raised millions of dollars for the care
Gifts Committee.
He has served on the boards for, and has con-
and treatment of many who would otherwise
tributed millions of dollars to, many nationally
have been neglected."
and locally based health, civic, interfaith, cultural,
• Michigan Senator Carl Levin — "One day,
academic and Jewish communal organizations.
the dollars devoted to research will prevail over
Hermelin Brain Tumor Center founders are
brain tumors. Between now and then, the very
Eugene and Marcia Applebaum and William and
presence of David Hermelin's name in the cen-
Karen Davidson. Benefactors are David and
ter of this effort will lift the spirits and hopes of
Doreen Hermelin, Edward and Julie Levy, Art and
patients and their families, and by itself provide
Mary Ann Van Elslander, William and Barbara
the optimism to carry on and win."
Belzberg, Harold and Penny Blumenstein, Martin

Plaudits