86-year-old Roza L. (name changed) was invited by the Jewish Community of Dnipro to participate in its cancer screening program — an invitation that ultimately saved her life. Roza, a Holocaust survivor with numerous chronic health conditions, has lived a difficult life but remains actively involved in Jewish women’s initiatives and revival projects in Dnipro. She underwent the screening without any prior suspicion, only to be shocked by the results — a diagnosis of breast cancer.
Roza was one of 208 members of the Jewish community, including individuals from high-risk groups and those who might not have taken the initiative to undergo comprehensive medical testing, who participated in the screening program. The program was fully funded by philanthropist and benefactor Boris Simanovsky, with all logistics and organization handled by the Jewish Community of Dnipro.
While only a few participants were diagnosed with life-threatening conditions requiring urgent and extensive treatment — such as Roza — nearly fifty were found to have precancerous or borderline conditions. These early detections allow for medical intervention before serious complications develop. The screening has thus prevented potential tragedies by identifying risks at an early stage.
Several participants were diagnosed with cancer at various stages, some of which require active therapy, but have favorable prognoses when treated appropriately. Roza’s case was more severe — she needed immediate surgery, which was arranged without delay thanks to the support of the Jewish Community of Dnipro, and the outcome was highly successful.
This courageous woman put her trust in the recommendations of her friends from the JMC Clinic and the Jewish community. “I want to live to dance at my granddaughter’s wedding, to attend Rebbetzin Chana’s classes, to come to synagogue and thank G-d and the Lubavitcher Rebbe for blessing our city with Rabbi Shmuel Kaminezki as Chief Rabbi, and for allowing me to be part of such a wonderful community,” she says through tears.
“This screening didn’t just save Roza L.’s life — it gave clarity and hope to many others who now know what needs to be treated to avoid serious outcomes,” says Professor Alexander Rodinsky, General Director of the JMC Clinic. “We conducted comprehensive multidisciplinary evaluations that everyone should consider doing periodically. Preventing illness or detecting it at an early stage is the best option — both medically and humanely.”
The screening program included:
For women: chest X-ray, breast ultrasound, tests for ovarian tumor markers and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA).
For men: chest X-ray, prostate ultrasound, tests for prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and CEA.
Following the results, patients received consultations from JMC oncologists.
Though the program focused primarily on detecting cancer, it also identified other non-oncological health issues that required medical attention. For instance, three individuals were diagnosed with multinodular goiter, 17 with prostate hypertrophy, and others with benign tumors that also require medical — sometimes surgical — intervention.
“Cancer screening is a progressive approach that allows us to identify medical problems in time and deliver necessary care,” Rodinsky continues. “Nearly half of the people involved in the program were found to have conditions requiring treatment. For almost fifty of them, the undiagnosed conditions could have led to severe outcomes, and in one case — Roza’s — we intervened just in time. Without this program, Roza L. might not have danced at her granddaughter’s wedding, but now, thanks to the Jewish Community of Dnipro, her dream has a very real chance of coming true.”
