In 2012, Virtua said goodbye to a long-time
friend, physician leader and visionary who
established a strong foundation for the
cancer program at Virtua.
David Flinker, MD, was a driving force behind
the creation of a comprehensive oncology
program at Memorial Hospital of Burlington
County—now, Virtua Memorial. He served
as chief of medicine there from 1973 to 1991
and was president of the medical staff in
1981 and 1982. In that time, Dr. Flinker was
the first physician offering expertise in
Hematology and Medical Oncology in
Burlington County. Throughout his career,
he served as a mentor to other physicians,
guiding them in the art of compassionate
care. He was known for doing whatever it
took to provide meaningful support for the
hospital to expand its cancer program, and
he was deeply involved in fundraising.
His significant accomplishments were
numerous and led to the hospital's first
cancer program receiving accreditation by
the American College of Surgeons in 1979.
Under his mentorship, the program
continued to grow through the years, leading
to the partnership between Virtua and the
Fox Chase Cancer Center in early 1991.
Dr. Flinker firmly believed that art was
important to healing and, as a result,
Virtua Memorial has showcased art for
more than 20 years. The Pavilion Art
Gallery was named for Dr. Flinker upon
his retirement, and continues to showcase
local artists today.
Dr. Flinker truly will be missed, but his legacy
is visible in the dedicated staff of Virtua
Memorial and the many patients he served
during his incredible career.
Dr. Alan Weinstein understood the power of philanthropy at an early age.
His parents, who survived the Depression with very little to call their own,
taught him the importance of giving back.
“Tikkun olam. This (Hebrew) phrase translates to ‘fix or repair the world,’”
he said. “Every human being has to try to make the world a better place. If
you do that, chances are you’re doing the ethical thing. And it’s not always
money. Sometimes it’s a matter of donating your time and energy.”
Dr. Weinstein has dedicated his career to advancing Virtua’s oncology
program and making sure patients across South Jersey have access to the
state-of-the-art, life-saving technologies they need. He helped to develop
the first comprehensive cancer treatment center at Virtua Memorial in the
1970s and was instrumental in connecting Virtua with the Fox Chase
Cancer Center.
“So much has changed in the way we treat cancer. Today, we treat
patients aggressively up front to potentially cure them. Frequently, they
are cured,” said Weinstein, who was the Medical Director of the Virtua
Fox Chase Cancer Program at Virtua Memorial when he retired in 2010.
Remembering what he learned as a child, Dr. Weinstein’s dedication to
“repairing the world” through the advancement of cancer treatment did
not end with his retirement. He has pledged a generous six-figure life
insurance gift to Virtua Foundation that will continue his legacy.
“It is my hope that someday we will be able to get enough donors
together to build a physical cancer center at Virtua,” he said. “It has
always been on my bucket list.”
For more information on Virtua Foundation’s Planned Giving Program,
please visit
foundation.virtua.org
.
A PHYSICIAN’S
PHILANTHROPIC LEGACY
DAVID FLINKER, MD
1931-2012
5
Dr. Alan Weinstein
Dr. and Mrs. Alan Weinstein
Remembering
