Selma’s Slice of Life:

Honoring Nurses and their Contributions to Patients and Families

Every morning at 8am, Artie Rabin called the private duty nurse by his wife’s bedside and asked “How’s Selma?” A few minutes later, the nurse received a text from Jason and Robyn “How was my mom’s night?“, “Is she better today?” These are some of the questions we are all too familiar with when we have a loved one in the care of others. We relinquish our role as the direct caregiver and put our trust and faith in the medical system. Nurses are the front line caregivers at hospitals, outpatient facilities and in private homes providing hands-on support to patients. They take key measurements, manage I.V. lines, administer medications, keep records and communicate with doctors. But that is only a small part of what they do. Beyond the direct medical support and care, nurses also provide emotional support to patients and their families as they navigate a medical issue. At their core, nurses are caregivers, providing families with a sense of hope, humanity and dignity during an otherwise difficult time. Selma’s Slice of Life is working to honor and elevate the role of these crucial caregivers by providing grants to outstanding oncology nurses. Donate today and help us highlight nurses and their commitment to a life of service to patients and families.

Those who knew Selma adored her. She didn’t just light up a room; she lit up the whole house.Loving, giving, happy – and dearly beloved in return.

Just hearing about Selma makes you wish you’d been lucky enough to know her.  Maybe you wish you’d been a kid, visiting her house in the Hamptons and coming home with a toy; or a friend or neighbor, enjoying a slice of delicious, homemade pie whenever you came to visit; or a member of her close-knit family, brought together once again by Selma and celebrating a holiday meal.

The Rabins are convinced that excellent nursing care not only prolonged Selma’s life, but maintained her good quality of life. “In my heart, I know these nurses kept her going,” says Jason. “I was told in September that she had a few weeks to live. My son’s bar mitzvah was in November; I was crying my eyes out thinking “my Mom” or “his grandma” wouldn’t be there for this celebration. But she was. “She was able to go, and I danced with her.” He and the family hope to give that experience to someone else, to provide “something that could help someone else at the toughest time,” because “that’s my mother. That’s her.” That’s what Selma did, all her life.

If you would like to keep Selma’s light shining for those who are battling cancer, please make a donation today.

The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) is the proud beneficiary of Selma’s Slice of Life. Through the generous support of Selma’s Slice of Life donors, PCF will allocate funding to help vulnerable patients and families by providing $50,000-$75,000 grants to outstanding oncology nurses.  

These grants will support continuing education and expand precision oncology nursing capabilities in the clinical setting. Through these efforts, the Prostate Cancer Foundation and the Rabin family hope to honor Selma’s enduring legacy of compassion and caring.