WHEN OUR GOOD friend and colleague, Dr Joshua Cantor, died suddenly on September 9, 2013, we, who had known and worked with him for more than 15 years, were overwhelmed with shock and grief. We were struck by the tragic irony: a man so full of life and enthusiasm was taken from his family, friends, colleagues, and patients far too soon. He was such a central part of our current and (we thought) future work that his absence is even now palpable. While it is still difficult to contemplate the loss of the partnership that we had with Joshua, we did want to honor him by completing several key projects on which he was working at the time of his death.
The 3 articles coauthored by Dr Cantor that are published in this issue of the Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation provide a snapshot of his tremendous breadth of interests and expertise in the field of traumatic brain injury (TBI). He was a deeply committed researcher, clinician, mentor, and disabilities advocate, who was always pushing to improve the lives of people with TBI, and his research reflected his understanding of and compassion for all challenges faced by TBI survivors. He viewed individuals with TBI and other disabilities not only as people whom he could help but also as people from whom we all could learn, which is apparent in the innovation and relevance of his work.
The article by Dams-O'Connor et al,1 "Screening for Traumatic Brain Injury: Findings and Public Health Implications," summarizes the work done at the Brain Injury Research Center of Mount Sinai to help identify people who are living with the challenges of a brain injury but are not aware that TBI may be the cause of their problems. Joshua understood that identification can bring clarity, leading to appropriate interventions that provide hope and allow individuals with TBI to lead fuller lives. He had been a part of this work for many years, beginning with our screening school children in New York City.
Dr Cantor was especially committed to creating more effective treatments. "Comparison of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Supportive Psychotherapy for the Treatment of Depression Following TBI" by Ashman et al2 describes the results of a randomized controlled trial of a cognitive behavioral treatment of post-TBI depression that Joshua was instrumental in developing, implementing, and analyzing.
Finally, "Systematic Review of Interventions for Fatigue After Traumatic Brain Injury: A NIDRR Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems Study"3 describes the results of a systematic review on post-TBI fatigue that Dr Cantor led along with collaborators from a TBI Model Systems working group; an advanced draft existed at the time of his death. Fatigue and insomnia are prevalent and disabling challenges for TBI survivors, and Joshua had already published 4 peer-reviewed articles in this area.4-7 Marcel Dijkers and colleagues updated and completed the review in his honor and share key findings in the third article provided herein.
For those of you who did not know Joshua Cantor, these articles provide only a glimpse into our colleague's approach to life. After coming to the United States directly upon college graduation for a stint in the music business, he chose to pursue psychology, earning his PhD at Long Island University. Joshua came to Mount Sinai in 1998 as a postdoctoral fellow in our NIDRR-funded training program. He brought with him a sharp intellect, an insatiable curiosity, a radiant smile, and charismatic British accent. He had a lively charm, disarming warmth, a cheering wit, and a mug of tea always in hand. We invited him to join the faculty at Mount Sinai immediately upon completion of his fellowship, and eventually he was appointed codirector of the Brain Injury Research Center of Mount Sinai. His career was promising from the start, and his reputation as a leader in the field was soaring with each passing year. Joshua was a key researcher on sleep and fatigue issues following TBI and a leader of a group of TBI Model Systems researchers interested in these issues. He was integrally involved in the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine, and last September was to be the incoming Chair of its Brain Injury Interdisciplinary Special Interest Group. Months before his death, he learned that he had been chosen to receive the ACRM Mitchell Rosenthal Mid-Career Award. In addition, he had just been appointed Associate Editor of the Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation after serving as its book review editor for quite some years.
What the 3 articles and these few comments don't reveal is that Joshua was first and foremost a loving husband to his wife Christina Faletti and a wonderful, energetic father to Lucy and Max. These articles do not convey the passion and enthusiasm he brought to so many projects, nor do they suggest that he engendered like feelings in others. He was knowledgeable in so many areas that you learned some new trivia every day. A case in point: he loved all kinds of music-from cool jazz to Willie Nelson to Bach to Elephant Orchestra-and shared his passion for music with others. Finally, the articles don't say that he was the best guy around to have a beer with-not just any beer, but a craft beer from a microbrewery found in a remote pub that he insisted we experience with him.
Joshua is now and will long be missed, not just by us but by all who knew him.
Wayne A. Gordon, PhD
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
New York
Teresa A. Ashman, PhD
Shepherd Center
Atlanta, Georgia
Margaret Brown, PhD
Kristen Dams-O'Connor, PhD
Marcel P. Dijkers, PhD
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
New York
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