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The Victor Center for Jewish Genetic Diseases and the Old York Road Kehillah have partnered together to educate and screen our Jewish community to help prevent Jewish Genetic diseases. The community awareness campaign of the Old York Kehiilah and our congregation will culminate in a Family Fun Day and Screening at Elkins Park Hospital of Albert Einstein Healthcare Network. Details about this event can be found at www.victorcenters.org.
Dr. Adele Schneider is the Director of Clinical Genetics and Medical Director of the Victor Center for Jewish Genetic Diseases at Albert Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia. She has practiced Clinical Genetics at Albert Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia since 1990 and has served as Director of Clinical Genetics since 1992. Dr. Schneider is a recipient of the Einstein Physician Leadership Award and has been featured in “Top Docs for Kids” in Philadelphia magazine on several occasions. She was also named as a 2005 Weizmann Institute of Science Distinguished Scientist.
Jennifer Sonenshein is the mother of Peter Sonenshein, who was diagnosed with Familial Dysautonomia at age seven. Famillial Dysautonomia, a Jewish genetic disease that causes the autonomic and sensory nervous system to malfunction. It affects the regulation of body temperature, blood pressure and stress response and causes decreased sensitivity to pain. FD also causes the absence of overflow tears, frequent pneumonia, and occasionally poor growth. The unpredictable nature of FD has cause Peter and his family to struggle with scoliosis, gall bladder surgery, and multiple disabling FD crises which have kept him hospitalized for weeks and months at a time. Jennifer, her husband David, and daughter Emily, are all dedicated to the search for a cure for Familial Dysautonomia and the encouragement for Jewish genetic disease testing.
Familial Dysautonomia is one of 11 Jewish genetic diseases for which the Victor Center recommends screening. One in five Ashkenazi Jews is a carrier for one of these Jewish genetic diseases. More information about Jewish genetic diseases and the June 13th Family Fun Day and Screening is available at www.victorcenters.org
