FAMILY OWNED AND OPERATED FUNERAL HOMES SINCE 1881
| Elena Gitelson - Елена Гительзон, MD, PhD |
| July 2, 1958 - March 31, 2013 |
|
Public Events and LocationsMemorial Service - Thursday, April 4, 2013, 11:30 AM at Cairnwood Estate, Bryn Athyn |
ContactsFuneral Home - Wetzel and Son Funeral Home - 419 Huntingdon Pike, Rockledge, PA 19046 - 215-663-8550 - Map |
| Clergy - Cairnwood Estate - 1005 Cathedral Road, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009 - Map |
| Family Florist - Schmidt’s Florist - CLOSED - 700 Solly Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19111 - 215-745-6234 - Map |
| Donation - Fox Chase Cancer Center - Fox Chase Cancer Center - Institutional Advancement Department - 333 Cottman Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19111 - 215-728-2745 - Map |
Elena (Lena) was born on July 2nd, 1958 in the Siberian town of Krasnoyarsk, Russia into a loving family of Vera and Iosif. She was the third of four siblings – Olga, Irina, Elena, and George.
Since her early years Lena loved all living things and spent much of her time helping heal and take care of wounded wolves, lynxes and other wild animals at a wilderness refuge in the Stolby Sanctuary near Krasnoyarsk. The love of healing was truly in her blood as her grandfather, father, mother, and older sister were all physicians, and she followed this calling as well.
Following her professional calling, Lena went on to study medicine at the Krasnoyarsk Medical Institute, and then earned her PhD in Hematology while working at the Russian Hematology Research Center in Moscow. It was there that she became an oncologist specializing in treating cancers of the blood.
Elena married to Vladimir Iakhnine in 1979 and later that year their son Sergei was born. She was a wonderful mother – tender, loving, accepting. She wrote a number of beautiful guitar songs to her only child. In early 1990’s she found a new love – Igor. They traveled the roads of life together ever since, carrying love and warmth everywhere they went.
In 1997, the family finally decided to uproot and come to live in Toronto, Canada, where Lena worked as a research scientist at the University of Toronto and the Sunnybrook Hospital. She soon realized that she is much driven by the passion of healing and needed to have direct contact with the patients. Hand in hand with Igor, they embarked on a seven year journey through endless exams, residency in Baltimore, fellowship at the Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia to obtain full medical accreditation in the USA. They fell in love with their new home and the all-accepting spirit of the New World and finally settled in Abington, a northeastern suburb of Philadelphia. She has become an example to follow and the pride for the younger generation of physicians in her family.
Elena touched so many lives... She always had something to give to everyone: a smile, health and hope if you were her patient, advice and a strong shoulder to a colleague, and some of you her quick wit if you were her friend, and endless love and warmth to everyone who was touched by Lena.
Some people are reduced by illness to a shadow. But people like Lena ascend above their circumstances to shine through the most impenetrable darkness and become giants, true heroes who face their mortal challenges with calm, focused determination. She was at times in pain, but lifted us up. She was at times in fear, but spoke of hope. She was at times exhausted, but stayed true to herself.
We have all made so many wonderful memories together, and we invite you to share them at the service to celebrate Elena’s life – a life full lived.
Relatives and friends were invited to her memorial service on Thursday, April 4, 2013 at 11:30 A.M. at Cairnwood Estate, 1005 Cathedral Road, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009 www.cairnwood.org
for directions: http://goo.gl/maps/CICWU
Elena loved color, and we would like to ask attendees to forego wearing black, if they are comfortable, in favor of a more colorful and cheerful dress. The service will be indoors with light refreshments served.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to pancreatic cancer research at either of:
Fox Chase Cancer Center
http://www.fccc.edu/helpingFoxChase/makeAGift/supportOurStrengthFund.html
Thomas Jefferson University
http://www.jeffersonhospital.org/departments-and-services/pancreatic-biliary-related-cancer-center/giving
Pancreatic Cancer Action Network
http://www.pancan.org/section_donate/donate_now.php
www.wetzelandson.com
Since her early years Lena loved all living things and spent much of her time helping heal and take care of wounded wolves, lynxes and other wild animals at a wilderness refuge in the Stolby Sanctuary near Krasnoyarsk. The love of healing was truly in her blood as her grandfather, father, mother, and older sister were all physicians, and she followed this calling as well.
Following her professional calling, Lena went on to study medicine at the Krasnoyarsk Medical Institute, and then earned her PhD in Hematology while working at the Russian Hematology Research Center in Moscow. It was there that she became an oncologist specializing in treating cancers of the blood.
Elena married to Vladimir Iakhnine in 1979 and later that year their son Sergei was born. She was a wonderful mother – tender, loving, accepting. She wrote a number of beautiful guitar songs to her only child. In early 1990’s she found a new love – Igor. They traveled the roads of life together ever since, carrying love and warmth everywhere they went.
In 1997, the family finally decided to uproot and come to live in Toronto, Canada, where Lena worked as a research scientist at the University of Toronto and the Sunnybrook Hospital. She soon realized that she is much driven by the passion of healing and needed to have direct contact with the patients. Hand in hand with Igor, they embarked on a seven year journey through endless exams, residency in Baltimore, fellowship at the Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia to obtain full medical accreditation in the USA. They fell in love with their new home and the all-accepting spirit of the New World and finally settled in Abington, a northeastern suburb of Philadelphia. She has become an example to follow and the pride for the younger generation of physicians in her family.
Elena touched so many lives... She always had something to give to everyone: a smile, health and hope if you were her patient, advice and a strong shoulder to a colleague, and some of you her quick wit if you were her friend, and endless love and warmth to everyone who was touched by Lena.
Some people are reduced by illness to a shadow. But people like Lena ascend above their circumstances to shine through the most impenetrable darkness and become giants, true heroes who face their mortal challenges with calm, focused determination. She was at times in pain, but lifted us up. She was at times in fear, but spoke of hope. She was at times exhausted, but stayed true to herself.
We have all made so many wonderful memories together, and we invite you to share them at the service to celebrate Elena’s life – a life full lived.
Relatives and friends were invited to her memorial service on Thursday, April 4, 2013 at 11:30 A.M. at Cairnwood Estate, 1005 Cathedral Road, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009 www.cairnwood.org
for directions: http://goo.gl/maps/CICWU
Elena loved color, and we would like to ask attendees to forego wearing black, if they are comfortable, in favor of a more colorful and cheerful dress. The service will be indoors with light refreshments served.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to pancreatic cancer research at either of:
Fox Chase Cancer Center
http://www.fccc.edu/helpingFoxChase/makeAGift/supportOurStrengthFund.html
Thomas Jefferson University
http://www.jeffersonhospital.org/departments-and-services/pancreatic-biliary-related-cancer-center/giving
Pancreatic Cancer Action Network
http://www.pancan.org/section_donate/donate_now.php
www.wetzelandson.com
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