A life expressed in science, song, and poetry

2Life Communities is home to people of diverse backgrounds, many with fascinating personal histories. That is certainly the case with Ganella Zlatkozkaya, who lives at the Brown Family House in Brookline.

A native of central Russia, Ganella entered medical school in 1944 as World War II raged on. She was just 18 years old. During this time, she earned both her M.D. and her Ph.D. She also met and married David Bonderman, a native of Romania. Ganella pursued a career as a medical doctor and scientific researcher in the field of hematology, while David was a university professor of languages, in what was then the Soviet Union. They had one son, Eugene Bonderman.

During her career, Ganella developed an interest in the medical applications of hypnosis and used it to treat patients suffering from psychological traumas. Her son, Eugene, recalls the story of one patient named Nina. “Traumatized by violence she had witnessed in her family, Nina suffered from paralysis of her legs. She was scheduled to have her legs amputated and was admitted to the hospital where my mother worked,” he shares. “My mother immediately understood the underlying reasons for her condition and within 10 sessions of hypnosis, Nina was walking. She became an exceptional alpinist and a well-regarded painter.”

In 1975, the Bondermans emigrated to the United States to escape anti-Semitism in the Soviet Union and to seek greater opportunities for their son. Ganella soon found employment in the clinical laboratory at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, ultimately serving as director of the Beacon Medical Laboratory until her retirement in 1993.

Ganella’s talents were not solely focused on science, Eugene says: “Seeking a cultural outlet, my mother became a singer of Russian songs and a writer of poetry. She was interested in everything to do with the Russian language,” he explains. On many occasions, Ganella was encouraged to become a professional actress.

After she retired, Ganella expanded her creative pursuits to include writing books. “She wrote a couple of books, including her autobiography and the story of our family,” Eugene says. “She wrote about the difficulties of Soviet life, which is very interesting.” Two of her books were published and are still circulated in Russia. 

After her husband passed away in 2007, Ganella remained in her Brookline apartment. As she passed the age of 90, however, Eugene says it was important to find a living situation that offered more support, adding that the onset of dementia heightened this need. After considering area alternatives, they based their decision for Ganella to move to the Brown Family House on 2Life’s reputation: “Friends living at the Brighton campus raved about 2Life. Since my mother wanted to remain in Brookline, the Brown Family House was the perfect fit. It was a very good decision.”

While Eugene and his wife visit every day, he says it is comforting to know that staff is on hand around the clock to provide assistance. “I work as a property manager, so I know this is very rare. Having a resident services coordinator available 24 hours has been critical for my mom’s ability to remain in independent housing,” he says.

“While hearing loss has kept Mom from performing her singing, she still recites poetry in her native Russian,” Eugene says, adding that he is glad 2Life is there for her. “The staff has done an amazing job of making the Brown Family House a fabulous place to live.”