Generous gift invests in the future of brain cancer treatment

In April 2022, Steve and Deb Rosenthal made a $100,000 donation to Henry Ford Health, splitting it between the School-Based and Community Health Program fund to support school-based health centers that offer health services to school-aged children and the Hermelin Brain Tumor Center fund to support patient care and research activities of the Hermelin Brain Tumor Center.

Launched in 1999, the Hermelin Brain Tumor Center (HBTC) offers patients access to individualized brain tumor therapies, leading-edge clinical trials and a world-class team of brain cancer researchers and specialized experts. Together, they champion compassionate, patient-centered care through precision medicine research – utilizing patients’ genetic data to determine the most effective treatment.

The Rosenthals’ gift was inspired by the excellent patient care Steve received from retired neurosurgeon Mark Rosenblum, M.D., who successfully removed a benign tumor on Steve’s spinal cord.

Deb recalled, “It was a scary time made less overwhelming by everyone we came into contact with at Henry Ford.”

The Hermelin Brain Tumor Center also holds personal significance to Steve and Deb, who had the privilege of knowing the late diplomat and philanthropist David Hermelin, whose battle with brain cancer prompted the creation of the HBTC.

“He was an extraordinary man, community builder and philanthropist and we are honored to support his legacy and the incredible commitment his family has made to the Hermelin Brain Tumor Center,” shared Steve, whose father passed from a brain tumor in 1983.

The Rosenthals have experienced multiple personal losses due to glioblastoma – the most common and aggressive type of malignant brain tumor that is often resistant to conventional treatment. With their gift, Steve and Deb hope to fund critical research that will bring about a day where glioblastoma is eradicated.

This gift not only supports clinicians’ ability to better determine an individual patient’s prognosis, but also facilitates equitable care by expanding access to genomic data representative of a diverse patient base, making better care possible for all.

Thanks to the incredible generosity from Steve and Deb Rosenthal, this research will expand beyond the lab by enabling clinicians to profile the epigenetics of every brain tumor treated at Henry Ford Health. This signals a remarkable shift toward a model of cancer care that is tailored to the patient from diagnosis through treatment, and into survivorship.

“We look forward to seeing our community – and far beyond – benefit from all the amazing things happening there,” said Steve.