Dr. Pnina Brodt is a Professor of Surgery, Oncology, and Medicine at McGill University and Senior Scientist at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC). A trailblazer in the study of cancer metastasis, her pioneering work in the 1980s and 1990s helped establish the now-mainstream field of the tumor microenvironment, revealing the critical role of host cells in driving cancer spread.

Her research identified the IGF-axis as a key driver of liver metastasis, leading to the bioengineering of the IGF-Trap, an innovative biologic drug with strong pre-clinical results and multiple international patents, now advancing toward clinical translation. Ranked #2 worldwide in liver metastatic disease by ScholarGPS (2024), Dr. Brodt edited several books and written highly cited invited reviews on this important topic.   

Beyond her research, she has led major institutional initiatives at McGill, mentored generations of scientists, and co-founded the Liver Metastasis Research Network, which fosters global collaborations. A longtime scientific advisor for the Israel Cancer Research Fund, she continues to champion innovative cancer research while inspiring the next generation of investigators.

Eva Derhy Sinai is the Co-Founder of Derhy Law, a Montréal boutique firm she founded in 2010. Under her leadership, the practice has grown into a leading firm recognized for its entrepreneurial vision, legal excellence, and client-focused, strategic approach.

Beyond her legal career, Eva is a passionate community leader. She co-founded the Québec Jewish Legal Alliance, mobilizing lawyers to confront antisemitism and defend human rights through legal action. She has also spearheaded major initiatives—bringing 900 Montrealers to Israel, creating leadership programs to ensure continuity, and championing civic engagement by empowering her community to recognize and exercise the power of their vote.

At the heart of her work is her family. Together with her husband Patrick, Eva is raising four young children—all born within six years—whose spirit and resilience inspire everything she does. She credits Patrick’s unwavering support and the invaluable help of her “village” for making it possible to balance a demanding law practice, impactful community leadership, and meaningful family life. For Eva, her children remain her greatest purpose and motivation: a daily reason to create, celebrate, push limits, and take action.

Eva dedicates this honour to the memory of her beloved cousin, Jessica Assayag Azoulay Z’’L, who lost her battle with cancer far too soon at the same age Eva is today. Jessica, a devoted mother of five, continues to inspire Eva to live with purpose, lead with heart, and always place family and community at the center of her actions.

Joanne Miller Eisman is an electrical and computer science engineer who began her career at CAE Electronics, where she worked in flight simulation for nearly a decade. In 2001, after her sister’s diagnosis with breast cancer and discovery of the BRCA gene mutation—which Joanne also carries—she and her husband, Dr. Harley Eisman, founded the Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Foundation (HBOC).

For over 22 years, HBOC has supported the Montreal community by providing resources and guidance to more than 750 patients and families through dedicated clinical coordinators at the Jewish General and McGill University Health Centre. Under Joanne’s leadership, the Foundation has also hosted ten international BRCA symposia, attended by hundreds doctors from over forty countries, raised global awareness, and contributed almost $3 million to advance education, care, and support.

With her husband Harley, Joanne has raised three children who have been part of the HBOC journey from the very beginning. They have been her constant source of inspiration to continue this work, fulfilling Joanne and Harley’s wish that their children would face a future with better options than Joanne had when she first learned of BRCA.

This honour is dedicated to the memory of Joanne’s beloved sister, Marla Miller Gross, who lost her battle with cancer in 2003. Marla’s strength and spirit continue to inspire all who knew her, ensuring that future generations will be spared the tragedy she endured.

Lillian Vineberg Goodman is a trailblazer in higher education, healthcare, and community service. She was the first woman to serve as Chair of the Board of Governors of Concordia University and is a past Chair of Hope & Cope at the Jewish General Hospital. She continues to play a vital role as a Governor at the Jewish General Hospital and the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights.

Actively engaged with pro-Israel and pro-Jewish student leaders at Concordia and McGill, Lillian remains a passionate supporter of cancer research together with her husband, Morris Goodman.

Her outstanding contributions have been recognized with numerous honors, including the Queen’s Jubilee Medal (2002), the King Charles III Coronation Medal (2023), and the Humberto Santos Award of Merit for Lifetime Contribution to Concordia University (2006). She was named Person of the Year by the Jewish Community Foundation (2024) and one of Concordia University’s 50 Great Alumni (2025).