A milestone for cancer care

That number — the fourth largest of all 50 states — has been increasing annually. Cancer is an unrelenting, complex and overwhelming disease that inevitably touches the lives of all of us, personally, and hand in hand with our loved ones.  

Across Northwell Health, we see more than 19,000 cancer patients each year. “We’re  the largest provider of cancer care in the state, and we feel a tremendous responsibility to deliver the best treatments and therapies for our patients who choose us during the most challenging time in their life,” says Richard Barakat, MD, MBA, physician-in-chief and executive director of cancer services at the Northwell Health Cancer Institute and senior vice president of cancer services.  

That responsibility has fueled our ambitious pursuit to expand comprehensive cancer care and bring world-class cancer treatments, research and programs to our patients. And now, a truly transformative gift is dramatically accelerating our vision for cancer care across Northwell. 

We’ve celebrated defining moments in our trajectory, beginning in 2020 when we announced plans to expand cancer services at Huntington Hospital, creating the premier destination for cancer care across the eastern region. In October 2022, we broke ground on a new home for specialized, innovative cancer care programs at the Northwell Medical Pavilion at 77th Street in Manhattan. And now, the Northwell Cancer Institute is poised to significantly advance the future of cancer programs and services for Long Island, Queens and all of New York — thanks to the generosity of one of Northwell’s longest-standing supporters and longtime trustee, Roy J. Zuckerberg. Roy’s most recent gift created the R.J. Zuckerberg Cancer Hospital at Long Island Jewish (LIJ) Medical Center — Long Island’s first and Northwell’s only cancer hospital — and established the R.J. Zuckerberg Cancer Center, Northwell’s largest ambulatory cancer care site.  

Together, they unite the cancer care provided at LIJ and at the state-of-the-art outpatient facility, located directly across the street. This newly established cancer campus is reinforced as the flagship of the Cancer Institute, which seamlessly integrates Northwell’s network of nationally recognized hospitals and cancer specialists and ensures that every patient — no matter where they come to us — has access to the best care, close to home. Roy’s gift also established the endowed Roy J. and Tara Zuckerberg Professor in Medical Oncology, allowing us to recruit Richard D. Carvajal, MD, to oversee medical oncology across the cancer network. 

“What makes Northwell so unique is that we provide comprehensive medical care as our standard of cancer care,” says Dr. Barakat, the Edward and Carole Miller Distinguished Chair in Cancer. “And this amazing gift will assist us as we build new multidisciplinary cancer programs in a patient-centric manner. From diagnosis through treatment to survivorship, we will be providing integrative medical therapies, not only to improve patient outcomes, but to improve the quality of patients’ lives.”  

The new campus brings together top-rated specialists, the latest technology, breakthrough clinical trials and a full range of support services. New programs or enhancements include dedicated oncology floors so cancer patients will be paired with experienced oncology nurses; a new women’s cancer center focused on treating breast and gynecologic cancers in a healing and tranquil setting; and a Center for Genomic Medicine that can perform tumor profiling. In addition, more than a quarter of LIJ’s beds will be dedicated to expertly treating patients with various types of cancers including pancreatic, lung, head and neck, liver, colon, urologic, leukemia and lymphoma.  

Northwell’s renowned bone marrow transplantation and CAR-T immunotherapy programs will be transferred to the cancer campus at LIJ from their current home at North Shore University Hospital, providing the environment for significant programmatic growth that will improve care exponentially across Northwell.  

“We are extraordinarily grateful to Roy for his visionary gift in helping to create a cancer campus that unifies LIJ’s superb surgical cancer care with our cutting-edge outpatient oncology programs,” says Michael J. Dowling, president and CEO of Northwell Health. “This transformation is the first of its kind on Long Island and in Queens and will have an enormous impact on how we deliver the best possible cancer care to patients in the region.” 

Roy first walked through the doors of LIJ in 1972 with his 3-year-old daughter, Dina, for her appointment at the speech and hearing center. That day marked the beginning of Roy’s more than 50-year relationship as one of LIJ’s most loyal grateful parents.  

“I saw the remarkable care my daughter received at LIJ and, since then, I’ve had a soft spot for the hospital,” recalls Roy. “The experience inspired me to get involved, and LIJ has become such an important part of my life.” 

Soon after Dina’s treatment, he agreed to join the hearing center’s board and, eventually, the board of directors of LIJ, where he served as the hospital’s chair through its historic merger with North Shore Health System. He later served as chair of the North Shore-LIJ Health System. In 2009, Roy’s generosity fueled the development of the Zuckerberg Pavilion, a monumental expansion of LIJ that transformed the face of patient care. He’s also been a proud supporter of cancer research and education at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, a strategic affiliate of Northwell Health, to bring clinical trials and treatment to our extensive network of cancer clinical care.  

His latest gift is the culmination of more than four decades of philanthropic support, solidifying Roy’s legacy at LIJ. “I’ve learned so much about how this hospital works, and I know philanthropy saves people’s lives,” shares Roy. “There is nothing more important than making a sick person well, and the place to do that is in a hospital or a place where healing happens.”  

What does a comprehensive standard of care mean to patients? For Baldwin resident Diane Moore, it meant answers, gratitude — and hope.  

“On November 3, 2021, I felt an unfamiliar pain in my stomach, which I just assumed was celiac-related,” recalls Diane. The next day, she went to her gastroenterologist, who sent her to her gynecologist. After a CT scan and additional blood work, she was referred to Northwell gynecologic oncologist Lisa Dos Santos, MD. “I remember saying, ‘What am I even doing at an oncologist?’” 

Dr. Dos Santos found a nearly eight-centimeter mass on Diane’s right ovary. At the age of 48, the mother of two underwent a full hysterectomy and staging at LIJ to remove the mass, which turned out to be stage IIIA ovarian carcinosarcoma, a very rare and aggressive form of ovarian cancer.  

“Even though my family and I received the news we most feared, December 10 was also the day that Dr. Dos Santos, my angel, did what she does best,” shares Diane. “She saved my life.”   

The family immediately began seeking treatment options that would help Diane defy the odds. “With this diagnosis, the numbers aren’t favorable,” she says. “But because of Dr. Dos Santos, I believe I’ll be in the very small percentage that survives.” 

Diane’s husband, Chris, and her older sister, Mary White, have been fierce advocates through her journey.  “We left no stone unturned and led with our faith,” says Mary. “We know there’s a bigger reason for her to go through this — to give hope and inspiration to others.” 

Diane continues to see Dr. Dos Santos at the R.J. Zuckerberg Cancer Center for follow-up visits every three months. She’s immensely grateful for the excellent care that she receives at the cancer campus and is energized by the ongoing expansion of research and programs that will ensure that other patients like her will have access to the most advanced treatments. “I will forever be grateful for Dr. Dos Santos,” says Diane. “If I ever go back to the battlefield, she’s my person.” 

Diane and Mary also turned her diagnosis into immediate action, organizing a fundraising gala for ovarian cancer and the Northwell Cancer Institute in mere months. “In the future we want to do more and make a bigger difference in gratitude and for others,” says Diane. 

It’s the generous philanthropy of supporters like Roy Zuckerberg, who — with grateful patients like Diane Moore — are making a difference in propelling cancer care forward.   

“The impact of our benefactors and the support of our patients and community members affirm our belief that when we work together, we can make advances beyond our expectations,” says Brian T. Lally, Northwell’s senior vice president and chief development officer. “The R.J. Zuckerberg Cancer Hospital and the R.J. Zuckerberg Cancer Center serve as constant reminders of the impact of Northwell’s unwavering commitment to keep our patients at the heart of everything we do.”