Sinai Hospital Breaks Ground on Cancer Building Named for Jewish Baltimore Couple

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Mandy and Dennis Weinman have been patrons of LifeBridge Health and its associated hospitals for many years. With a recent generous donation, they have given the organization the greatest gift of all: the ability to build a new cancer treatment center.

The Weinman family, from left: Mandy, Dillon, Benjamin and Dennis (Courtesy of LifeBridge Health)

The Mandy and Dennis Weinman Cancer Building at Sinai Hospital of Baltimore recently held a groundbreaking ceremony on May 23, marking the start of its construction. The new building will treat cancer patients young and old, and is set to be completed in December 2025. The building was made possible in part due to a $5 million donation from the couple.

The Weinman family have been benefactors of LifeBridge Health since Dennis Weinman’s grandfather started making regular donations to Sinai Hospital in the 1990s, when his wife — Dennis Weinman’s grandmother — was being treated for cancer there.

“She wound up dying, but the compassionate care and everything Sinai did to care for her was unbelievable,” Dennis Weinman recalled.

The cancer building is not the first institute at Sinai Hospital to be named for the family. Their past donations led to the naming of the Weinman Family Department of Radiation Oncology, which uses cutting-edge technology to treat cancerous tumors.

Dennis Weinman now serves on the board of directors for both LifeBridge Health and Sinai Hospital. Neither he nor his wife have careers in the medical field, though — Dennis Weinman is the president of a real estate investment and development company, while Mandy Weinman is a recruiter for an entertainment company. The couple live in Baltimore with their children, Dillon and Benjamin. They all belong to Beth El Congregation, with Mandy Weinman serving on its board.

Dennis Weinman first became involved with LifeBridge Health and Sinai Hospital’s boards when he was approached at a fundraiser for Sinai Hospital, where he was asked if he was interested in serving on it.

“I love what [LifeBridge Health] stands for,” Dennis Weinman said. “I love what they do for our community, I love what they offer. I think their medical care is top-notch and that they are an incredible asset to the community.”

The new building aims to consolidate Sinai Hospital’s cancer research under one roof. Dennis Weinman recalled that cancer patients would often have to walk from one end of the hospital’s campus to another to get all of their treatment done.

Initially, many of the Weinmans’ donations to the organization and its hospitals were anonymous because they did not want a great deal of attention from their charitable deeds. Their attitude on that changed when Beth El Director of Development Amanda Beitman told them that putting their name on their donations to the synagogue could encourage more people to give to charities.

“I don’t love having it out there that we’re the ones doing this, because it’s not about us. It’s about the community,” Mandy Weinman added. “This is about providing a place where people can get the help, care and treatment they need. We are blessed to be able to do what we do.”

The couple’s other primary motivation for making these contributions is to set a good example for their children.

“It’s really important to us that we instill in our kids a legacy of giving back to the community by doing, not by saying, and really creating a belief in the importance of giving,” Dennis Weinman said.

The cancer building is still seeking additional funding for its construction. LifeBridge Health is planning several fundraising campaigns with the aim of raising an additional $15 million to purchase equipment necessary for cancer treatment.

“The Weinmans’ visionary gift will have an immediate impact and also support our ongoing efforts to evolve and enhance our approach to cancer detection and treatment,” said Julie Cox, LifeBridge Health’s vice president and chief development officer. “We are proud to have the support from and partnership with Mandy and Dennis as they continue the Weinman family’s amazing three-generation legacy of philanthropic support to LifeBridge Health.”

In an interview with the JT, Dennis Weinman quoted the teachings of the Talmud — that “he who saves one life, saves the entire world.”

“It’s important to know that the entire medical community at Sinai — doctors, administrators, all of them — work tirelessly every day trying to save the world, one patient at a time,” he said.

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