Michael Weintraub, M.D. 

The Department of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology is located in the Mother and Child Health Pavilion in the Ein Kerem Campus. The department’s main mission is to provide state-of-the-art care for children and adolescents with cancer and severe non-malignant hematological diseases.  

The Department of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology at Hadassah is the only comprehensive Pediatric Cancer Center in the greater Jerusalem area. It serves a large and heterogeneous population from diverse ethnic and psychosocial backgrounds. Children are referred to the department from the greater Jerusalem area as well as from other parts of Israel, and from the Palestinian Authority. 

The broad range of diseases treated by the department includes childhood leukemias as well as pediatric solid tumors. In addition, children with severe, chronic non-malignant hematological disorders (i.e., Thalassemia, aplastic anemia) and severe disorders of the immune system are cared for. 

The children referred to the department are treated by a multidisciplinary staff, which employs the most up-to-date diagnostic and therapeutic tools. The new department has a 17-bed inpatient unit including four bone marrow transplantation beds, and a large clinic/day-hospital facility. Also available on-campus are a radiation therapy facility, a pediatric surgery service with all the relevant subspecialties, a pediatric intensive care unit, and a pediatric infectious disease consultation service.

The staff of the department includes seven board-certified Pediatric Hematologist-Oncologists, twenty-five specialty trained oncology nurses, and a wide array of support staff including social workers, psychologists, medical clowns, art and music therapists, and teachers.   The department is actively involved in the teaching of medical students, pediatric residents and pediatric Hematology-Oncology fellows.

The department has grown considerably in the last five years. The number of new patients with cancer reached 90 in 2006. The number of bone marrow transplantations has reached 15 per year. We have an active pediatric coagulation and thrombosis service, as well as a large thalassemia program.

With the rapid growth of the department of Pediatric-Hematology Oncology, the need arose to provide a larger physical facility for the activities of the department. In August 2007, the department moved to a new floor, with expanded inpatient and outpatient facilities.