Dedicated to Giving: Harvey Shankman’s Remarkable Legacy

On January 21, 2025, GBMC and the community lost a true friend whose loyalty seemed boundless. Harvey Shankman was a patient of the Sandra & Malcolm Berman Cancer Institute, which benefited from his consistent philanthropy. 

His gifts, relatively modest in themselves, began 22 years ago and marked significant occasions, including birthdays, anniversaries, and the passing of close friends. In total, he made 537 gifts to the Berman Cancer Institute that have assisted countless patients and families. 

Shankman credited GBMC’s former Berman Cancer Institute Medical Director Dr. Gary I. Cohen and his team with saving his daughter Lisa’s life. Lisa Shankman was diagnosed with a rare, aggressive cancer at age 38. She lived and continued raising her children for 15 more years, each of which was considered a gift by the Shankman family. 

In keeping with his thoughtful generosity, the family requested that memorial donations in Harvey Shankman’s name be made to GBMC.