Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Ask patients and loved ones about their interactions with Dana-Farber volunteers, and the answers span every touchpoint throughout a cancer experience.  Those arriving for their first appointment are welcomed with a friendly smile by Dana-Farber Ambassadors. The blue-vested volunteers are ready to answer questions, allay concerns, and walk them to their destination. In waiting areas, Resource Cart volunteers distribute magazines, newspapers, and warm conversation. During infusions, Hands-On Care volunteers offer free hand massages. And behind the scenes, members of the Adult and Pediatric Patient Family Advisory Councils – composed entirely of individuals who have had personal care experiences with cancer at Dana-Farber – serve as advocates and provide input for new patient programs, initiatives, and physical spaces. ”I believe there’s nothing more soothing and powerful than kindness when fear is at its peak,” says Patricia Stahl, MEd, director of Volunteer Services and Patient Programs. ”When people are dealing with a cancer diagnosis, our volunteers share that kindness and create an environment that makes Dana-Farber what it is.” Last year, 325 volunteers contributed more than 15,000 in-person or virtual hours to Dana-Farber. During National Volunteer Appreciation Week (April 21-27), Stahl and her colleagues ensured these individuals understood the significance of their contributions. At a table outside the Lavine Family Dining Pavilion at Dana-Farber’s Longwood campus, and through cards sent to regional campuses, patients, employees, and visitors wrote notes of thanks to volunteers. These were delivered to them, along with other small tokens of gratitude. ”Patients and families benefit from every interaction they have with our volunteers,” shares Maritza Nassif, MEd, manager of Volunteer Services and Patient Programs. ”They become familiar faces they can count on, whether they are celebrating their last infusion or had a tough drive in to Dana-Farber that morning. Our volunteers are an incredible group of people who choose to spend their time with us.” The recipients of this praise insist that the benefits flow both ways. Volunteer Aarush Patnala devotes his three-hour shifts as a Dana-Farber Ambassador to ”making everybody’s day a little better.” ”Volunteering here has encouraged me to be more caring and empathetic,” reflects Patnala. ”I’ve found myself getting stronger in my feeling of self-satisfaction. I truly believe I’m making a difference by adding to the positive and supportive vibe that every staff member promotes.” According to Volunteer Services staff, the success of these interactions lies in their authenticity and consistency. ”Volunteers are integral to the patient and family experience, and they’re a warm touch during a difficult time,” expresses Jessica Gagnon, LCSW, MSW, LCSW, program manager of Volunteer Services on the Longwood campus. ”The many little things they do make the biggest difference in the world.” ❤️

Laurie H. Glimcher, MD, President & CEO of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, was honored to be to received by His Royal Highness President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan during Abu Dhabi Global Healthcare Week.   The leadership of the UAE convened global health care leaders to seek solutions to the world's most intractable problems. Dana-Farber was privileged to be a part of the conversation and we look forward to engaging with our colleagues from the UAE and around the world to continue the discussion. Dana-Farber extends deep gratitude to His Royal Highness and the Department of Health Abu Dhabi for their extraordinary leadership and warm hospitality.   (l to r: His Royal Highness President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan; H.E. Mansoor Al Mansoori, Chairman, Department of Health-Abu Dhabi, and Dr. Laurie Glimcher)

If you have had a biopsy or surgery that removes tissue from your body, in almost all cases a sample will be sent to a pathology lab for examination. Pathologists, who specialize in looking at microscopic tissue samples, will look for signs of disease.

“The giver is the biggest receiver. We will all be faced with questions around cancer at some point in our lives. The more we understand and get to know the early signals, the better. It’s important to get involved,” said Louise Svanberg. “Having the dual perspectives of patient and caregiver, I was inspired to take a more active role in supporting cancer research to advance early detection, a key strategic priority of The Dana-Farber Campaign.” Louise Svanberg and her family are working hand-in-hand with Dana-Farber to defy cancer through the Svanberg Family Chair, supporting Dipanjan Chowdhury, PhD, as the first incumbent to the chair. Groundbreaking work in Chowdhury’s lab will accelerate lifechanging advances in the understanding of cellular response to DNA damage and the early detection of ovarian cancer. Groundbreaking research at Dana-Farber would not be possible without gifts like the Svanberg Family Chair. During a recent visit to Dr. Chowdhury’s research lab, Louise was shown firsthand how her gift is making an impact and applauded her for her partnership in the shared mission to defy cancer. Learn more at www.defycancer.org.

Last week, Dana-Farber debuted the new HomeGoods Young Adult Lounge, a dedicated space for young adult patients 18 and older to find a sense of belonging during their care experience. Together with donations from its generous shoppers, Homegoods and the TJX Foundation have made a $3.6 million gift to Dana-Farber to create the new Lounge. The ribbon-cutting ceremony included a special reception with Dana-Farber physicians, staff, and patients, along with executives from HomeGoods.    “With this gift we are able to provide greater care and support for the adolescent and young adult population and we look forward to having a space that is specifically designed to cater to this patient population,” said Lindsay Frazier, MD, co-medical director of the Center for Adolescent & Young Adult Oncology at Dana-Farber. #AYACSM The TJX Companies, Inc.

We were honored to welcome guests and collaborators from around the world to celebrate the inauguration of the Dana-Farber International Patient Center. The Dana-Farber IPC is home to a dedicated team of people who are expertly trained to serve the social, cultural and care coordination needs of international patients and a home-away-from-home for our patients who travel from over 130 countries each year to seek care at our institution. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/em2EzQUr. #IPC

What's the association between drinking alcohol and cancer? This is a common question we are answering with the help of Wendy Chen, MD, medical oncologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Multiple studies have revealed that regular alcohol consumption can increase the risk of developing various cancers, including breast, head and neck, esophageal, and stomach cancer, among others. Have a question about cancer risk and prevention? Comment below or email us at communication@dfci.harvard.edu. We'll try to address your question in a future episode. Like and share to spread the word about cancer prevention. #cancerprevention #cancerscreening #oncology #doctor

Here's what you need to know.

Cervical cancer is caused by a virus called HPV (human papilloma virus) that is spread through sexual contact. For many people, the virus is cleared by the immune system. But if it isn’t, it can develop into cancer.

Siobhan Donovan was pregnant with her third child when she and her husband, Mike, headed to a routine obstetrician appointment in Boston. It was a gorgeous Friday in 2022, the end of spring break for the two public school teachers who met on a Washington, D.C., school trip. It’s a day now enshrined in Donovan’s memory – one that marks the division between Before Cancer and After Cancer. A few weeks prior, Donovan noticed a lump in her breast. Without a family or personal history of breast cancer, her obstetrician was not overly concerned. But to be sure, she scheduled an ultrasound for the same day as the obstetrician appointment. While Mike waited in the hospital lobby, Donovan got her ultrasound, expecting it to be finished quickly. When the results came back, the clinic’s team ordered more diagnostic tests. A routine appointment suddenly turned hours long. ”It was a whirlwind,” Donovan remembers. She updated her husband via text message. Hours later, they learned that Donovan, then 33, had HER2+ breast cancer, a fast-growing type of cancer. The shock of the diagnosis barely had time to sink in. Donovan was just three weeks from her due date, so her doctors induced labor for her son, Ozzie. At just 2-days-old, Ozzie joined his mother at her first appointment at Dana-Farber, where she learned that her cancer was metastatic and had spread to her bones. Her team, led by Erica Mayer, MD, MPH, created a treatment plan. Donovan received a combination of paclitaxel, a type of chemotherapy, with two antibodybased therapies called trastuzumab and pertuzumab, also known as HP. In HER2+ breast cancer, abnormal cells overexpress the HER2 protein, which facilitates cell growth and multiplication. HP blocks that cell growth and helps the body kill the cancer cells. It was the beginning of what Donovan calls ”The Summer of Yes.” Her family, complete with two toddlers and a newborn, traveled around New England and to Disney World. ”We made every memory we could possibly make,” Donovan shares. Three months into treatment, Donovan’s cancer stabilized, and she stopped paclitaxel chemotherapy just in time for her fifth wedding anniversary. In January, Donovan returned to work as an English teacher, which came with its own challenges. ”The storm moves on [after treatment], and now you’re trying to pick up the pieces,” she recalls. ”The ’after’ is very lonely and difficult.” In addition to her work, Donovan continued HP every three weeks, added hormone blocking treatments, and completed regular scans, all while being a teacher, mother, and wife. Amid all of this, Donovan also began training for the 2024 Boston Marathon. She started running a mile or two every week during chemotherapy to relieve stress and stay active. With the support of friends and family, Donovan was at the Hopkinton starting line last month. She’s fueled by her kids and the hope that she will be there for their driver’s license tests, proms, and high school graduations.