Robin Bennett Kanarek

Robin Bennett Kanarek is an American nurse, philanthropist, and author who advocates for the use of palliative care for those with serious illnesses. A registered nurse since the late 1970s, Kanarek's work was inspired by her family's experience after her son was diagnosed with leukemia. In 2006, she co-founded the Kanarek Family Foundation, which has funded palliative care education and initiatives at institutions including Fairfield University, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and Yale University. She is the author of Living Well with a Serious Illness.

Early life and education Robin Cheryl Bennett was born to Carl and Dorothy Bennett. She grew up in Stamford, Connecticut, where her father was the founder and president of the discount department store chain Caldor. She graduated from the Low-Heywood School.

Career Kanarek began her nursing career at Stamford Hospital's cardiac unit and focused on chronic conditions such as heart disease and diabetes. In 2003, she co-authored a children's book, David's Treasure Tree, with Judith Casely. The following year, she established "David's Treasure Tree," a toy closet for pediatric patients at Stamford Hospital.

In 2017, the Kanarek Family Foundation provided funding to establish the Kanarek Center for Palliative Care at Fairfield University's Egan School of Nursing, a $1.5 million joint initiative with the university. She serves as the advisory chair for the center. The foundation has also supported educational programs at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Yale University, and George Washington University Institute for Spirituality and Health.

In 2023, the foundation funded Connecticut's first Pediatric Palliative Care Coalition, for which Kanarek is the sustainability coordinator. That same year, Johns Hopkins University Press published her book, Living Well with a Serious Illness: A Guide to Palliative Care for Mind, Body, and Spirit. Proceeds from the book are used to fund palliative care initiatives.

Kanarek serves on the boards of Fairfield University, Greenwich Hospital, and the Stamford Health Foundation. She chairs the advisory board for the Bennett Center for Judaic Studies at Fairfield University, which was founded by her parents. She is a fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine and received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Fairfield University in May 2025.

Personal life On December 6, 1981, she married Joseph Kanarek, a graduate of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and a former captain in the Israeli Army, in a ceremony at Temple Agudath Sholom in Stamford. They have a son, David, who was diagnosed with leukemia in 1995 at the age of 10. David later died from complications related to his illness. As of 2023, Kanarek is a resident of Greenwich, Connecticut.