Dr. Jonathan Niloff passed away peacefully, in his sleep, surrounded by family, nine months after being diagnosed with a rare cancer. His 64 years were too short, but were overflowing with love and accomplishments. A world renowned cancer surgeon, this difficult year fostered a new respect for what he left behind - thousands of lives saved via surgical procedures just a few gifted individuals could perform.
Jonathan grew up in Montreal, Canada with his beloved parents Petty and Paul and sisters Donna and Susan. His passion for fighting ovarian cancer was born from the loss of his beloved grandmother, Florence, who died too young of that very disease. After medical school he trained at the Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Boston, and was part of the team that discovered the CA-125 protocol, which allows for enhanced detection and treatment of ovarian cancer. He fell in love with Boston and never left, and in three decades to follow at the Brigham, Deaconess and Beth Israel medical centers, Jonathan published dozens of influential papers and trained a generation of surgeons.
In his later years, Jonathan’s passion for healthcare moved beyond the operating room. He founded a company called Medventive, where he combined his medical experience with modern technology to develop software that enhanced patient safety and efficiency in healthcare settings. In his last few years, Jonathan moved to a consulting role supporting healthcare startups, which allowed him to spend more time with his growing family.
That family truly loved him. He fell for Rebecca (also a physician) in medical school, and their four-decade love affair was a true partnership. Stephanie, his daughter, lives in New York City with her husband, Gerold. Eric, his son, lives in Brookline with his wife, Jennifer, and their two children, Liam (7) and Max (5). Being a grandfather meant so much to Jonathan. He spent hours with the boys building block structures and sand castles. His patience and calmness made him an amazing grandfather.
All who knew Jonathan can take comfort that his final years were spent truly fulfilled and happy. He carried his gentle nature and kindness to the end. He will be dearly missed.
Services will be held at Temple Emanuel, 385 Ward St., Newton on Monday September 17 at 11am. Burial will be in the Roxbury Lodge Cemetery, 776 Baker St., West Roxbury.
The family will receive guests Monday only at One Charles Street South in Boston from 3pm to 8pm.
In lieu of flowers, those wishing to honor Jonathan’s legacy of curing the sick can best do so via donations to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, P.O. Box 849168, Boston, MA 02284.
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