George Washington High School 2026 graduates hosted one of their own alumni to deliver their commencement address on June 10. Redeemer Health hematologist and oncologist Dr. Michael Rachshtut reminded the grads that their future is determined by what they do with the opportunities in front of them.
“As an immigrant student sitting in these classrooms, I did not have special connections,” he said. “What I had were teachers who cared, opportunities to learn and the belief that if I worked hard enough, doors would open. And they did.”
When GWHS received $10,000 in funding for their “Unity Project: Kindness in Action,” they got an unexpected surprise when they crossed paths with Rachshtut (aka Dr. Mickey). The Unity Project supplied “joy boxes” to patients in chemotherapy and radiation therapy at Holy Redeemer Hospital, and Dr. Mickey introduced himself to the GWHS ambassadors. Dr. Mickey, as it turns out, had a lot to reflect on dating to his days at the school. When his family migrated to Philadelphia during his sophomore year, he spoke no English and started his tenure at GWHS learning English as a second language. By the time he graduated with the class of 1993, he was fluent in English, he overcame a speech impediment that plagued his younger years, and he was accepted to college. Now the chief of hematology and oncology at Redeemer Health Cancer Center, and a father of three, Rachshtut makes his home in Huntingdon Valley…