It’s a parent’s worst nightmare to have doctors enter your room in the ER and tell you that your child has leukemia and must immediately begin treatment. That happened to me 19 years ago and it was my first interaction with Dana-Farber. It was in those moments that my appreciation of the importance of expert care at Dana-Farber began.
Six months after my daughter’s diagnosis, my father was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, so I have deep exposure to both pediatric and adult care at Dana-Farber. As a family, we routinely experienced acts of kindness and generosity from staff throughout Dana-Farber. This recurring theme of graciousness is what truly makes Dana-Farber special. It enables families to approach a cancer diagnosis with dignity and hope. It is why supporting Dana-Farber is critical. Not only to aid in the pursuit of groundbreaking scientific discoveries and treatment, but as importantly, to support the goal of providing the best care with humanity. This is what distinguishes Dana-Farber.