Children and Disasters

In Memoriam: Dr. Robert Keene Kanter (1949 – 2016)

Dear Colleagues,

It is with heavy hearts that we write this note to you. Our longtime friend, colleague, artist, and editor of this bulletin, Dr. Robert Keene Kanter passed away on March 29th, 2016. Dr. Kanter became an Adjunct Senior Research Scientist at the National Center for Disaster Preparedness in 2011 and has contributed to numerous research articles on pediatric disaster preparedness, created, curated, and edited over 20 editions of NCDP’s Children & Disasters Bulletin, and through his expert insight, inspired the development of NCDP’s “On the Watch” series to follow the latest emerging crises. A large portion of his career was dedicated to the SUNY Upstate hospital system where he was a Professor of Pediatrics and helped open the region’s first pediatric intensive care unit. His kindness, compassion, collegiality, and his genuine dedication and passion to ensure the children of today and of the future have the best outcomes possible, will not be forgotten. And to ensure that legacy, we will continue to produce the Children & Disasters: News, Tools, & Science Bulletin.

During the Ebola Crisis, we interviewed Dr. Kanter as part of a larger conference on the emerging threat. Watch this never before seen 2014 interview with Dr. Kanter discussing the far ranging potential impacts of a disease threat such as Ebola. He predicted the severe consequences of Ebola very early on, and would reiterate the same concerns and advice as new threats such as the Zika virus continue to emerge.

Please read his full obituary and leave a guest book entry by clicking this link. His family has requested that donations be made in Dr. Kanter’s name to either the Poverello Health Center at Assumption Church or to the Sol Goldman Pancreatic Cancer Research Center at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. A memorial service will be held Saturday April 9th, 2016 at the Assumption Church, 808 North Salina Street in Syracuse, New York.

Respectfully,

The NCDP Staff

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