Newton-Wellesley News: Fall/Winter 2022

Newton-Wellesley News

Promoting heart health Caring for kids in crisis Together on a path to wellness

“We’re very devoted to health and growth, to being the best people we can be. Cancer brought us together, and our intent in living a good life has kept us together.”

Linda, one of the original participants, Paving the Path to Wellness for Breast Cancer Survivors program

Promoting heart health

Cardiac rehabilitation changes lives and communities

Daniel Destin, Shipley Fitness Center Manager, and Jim Marchetti

Newton-Wellesley’s cardiac rehabilitation has simply “been a life-saver,” reflects patient Jim Marchetti. “It changed my world very much for the better.”

In 2021, his symptoms of discomfort and fatigue turned out to be warning signs of coronary artery disease. After Jim underwent surgery to implant two stents, his cardiologist suggested NWH’s Cardiac Rehabilitation would help set him on a path for long-term health.

“I jumped at the opportunity,” Jim says. From the start, his NWH team “far exceeded my expectations.” He felt so excited afterward that he wrote to Errol R. Norwitz, MD, PhD, MBA, the hospital’s President and CEO, to “laud the outstanding, life-saving work” of the professionals at both the Cardiac Rehabilitation Clinic and the Shipley Fitness Center.

Jim’s own diagnosis is shared by more than 20 million adults nationwide ages 20 and older, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Yet he firmly believes the lessons he learned “have tremendous value for anyone.”

An “integrated lifestyle approach”

Jim can’t say enough about the “fabulous support” of the nurses, physical therapist, dieticians, and other professionals on the Cardiac Rehabilitation team at the Elfers Cardiovascular Center. The team is only one part of the center’s broader team, which includes leading heart experts who offer the highest quality of comprehensive care for patients, in collaboration with Massachusetts General Hospital specialists.

He took part in their 12-week program, combining educational sessions with aerobic exercise. It focuses on modifiable risk factors—a common theme across all of NWH’s heart health initiatives—empowering patients to nourish, move, be smoke free, relax, and sleep better. “One of the things I find so valuable is the integrated lifestyle approach,” Jim says. “They weave together all these multiple strands of diet, exercise, mindfulness, and health education.”

As his weeks of rehab neared an end, the Elfers team suggested he’d be a great candidate for the “Be Well, Feel Well” maintenance program right next door at the hospital’s Shipley Fitness Center.

Jane Barr, community wellness coordinator, was there to guide him, as she does for all “graduates” of the program. It’s natural for participants to wonder what’s next. As her colleague Daniel Destin, CFT, reflects, “they’ve graduated and they’re energized. We don’t want to say goodbye and good luck.” Jane discusses options for ongoing exercise and wellness for each patient, in their community or at home.

Newton-Wellesley created a 12-week maintenance program based at the Shipley Fitness Center as a transitional bridge for cardiac rehab patients to continue their exercise program with the help of a personal trainer.

“One of the things I find so valuable is the integrated lifestyle approach. They weave together all these multiple strands of diet, exercise, mindfulness, and health education.” Jim Marchetti

In Jim’s case, he met with Daniel, the center’s manager, for a motivational interview to discuss his goals going forward. “He helped to set up an exercise regimen that was perfectly suited to me, comfortable yet ambitious enough to stretch myself.”

All smiles on reuniting with Daniel on a recent visit, Jim recounts “I was sorry to ever have to leave.”

Out into the community

For Daniel and Jane, the work of promoting heart health goes far beyond patients like Jim. Both have active roles in the broader community efforts of the hospital and the Cardiovascular Council, one of eight councils of NWH’s Community Collaborative.

Jane’s day-to-day work spans not only Elfers and Shipley but also an array of community partners. “I spend most of my time out in the community doing primary prevention,” she notes, helping people to prevent or reduce their risk for heart disease and ideally avoid ever needing care.

Her work embraces all ages. You might find her at a health fair for Newton city employees or teaching a seminar at the Waltham Senior Center. At the same

time, she’s done educational programming for 600 middle school students.

She’s excited to see the Cardiovascular Council expanding its circle of community partners to include organizations such as the Jewish Community Center, Healthy Waltham, and the Newton Y

An emphasis on prevention

To both Jane and Daniel, a new heart health initiative for local firefighters embodies the community efforts. They were both part of the team that developed and led a multi-session program for Newton firefighters earlier in 2022. This fall they’re excited to see it expand to Waltham.

Anne Knocke, clinical manager of the NWH Cardiac Rehabilitation program, collaborated on the initial inspiration and has been a key contributor on the team.

One of their energetic teammates is Beth Keane, the community chair of the Cardiovascular Council. “You caught me on an inspiring day,” she exclaims as she talks about her role. The new program for Waltham firefighters had just begun, and “it’s so invigorating,” she reflects. “It’s very fulfilling to see how much they want to learn ”

Cardiac Rehabilitation team at the Elfers Cardiovascular Center

“My genie in the bottle wish is that health insurance would support prevention. For now, education is our best angle.”

Beth Keane, Cardiovascular Council community chair

small changes can equal big things.”

Jane Barr, Community Wellness Coordinator, Elfers Cardiovascular Center

A Reiki master and certified nutritional therapy prac titioner, Beth describes herself as the team’s “stress management person.”

She’s been actively engaged as a volunteer for NewtonWellesley for a decade, and credits friend Alicia Abad with originally connecting her with the hospital’s Board of Advisors. She sees NWH as “our community hospital” and as a family “we want to them to have the latest, best care.”

As time evolved, she took on her community leadership role on the Cardiovascular Council. As the Council’s community chair, she partners actively with its two hospital co-champions, Daniel Destin and George Philippides, MD, chief of the Division of Cardiology.

For Beth, cardiovascular disease prevention is a very personal issue, having lost her dad to heart disease just after his 59th birthday.

As supportive as she is of NWH, “ironically, I’m all about keeping people out of hospitals,” she notes. Hearing the emphasis on prevention from Dr. Philippides and Dr. Norwitz resonates with her.

“My genie in the bottle wish is that health insurance would support prevention,” she says. For now, “education is our best angle.”

Still, she’s optimistic: “You see the potential for things to change for the better.” Together with the Council, she seeks to engage others who represent the diversity of our communities, who are willing to roll up their sleeves and get involved, and who have the resources and willingness to support the vision.

Adding to the richness of life Whether working at the hospital or out in the community, Daniel hopes a similar message comes through: “We’re trying to take care of you and keep you healthy.”

“We talk about meeting you where you are, and building up slowly,” he adds. “We talk about how to set goals.”

As Jane chimes in, “even small changes can equal big things.”

From his perspective as a patient, “staying motivated is the biggest challenge,” Jim Marchetti adds, “and it’s still a challenge for me.” But he’s done his best to stick with it. “I’m definitely in better shape than I was before, and I’ve become a great walker.”

What would he want others to know? “Even if you’re very, very busy, you absolutely should make the time for your health,” he suggests. “It will add not only to the richness of your life but also potentially your longevity.”

“Even

Inside the Shipley Fitness Center

In 2004, the Shipley Fitness Center had its beginnings with an idea to create an in-house resource for employee wellness. The extraordinary generosity of the Shipley family brought it to life. Ever since coming on board, Daniel Destin has helped build the facility and programming from the ground up.

Amid the pandemic, employee wellness has come to the forefront, and in response the hospital’s senior leadership has made the center free for all staff through September 2023 as part of a commitment to their health and well-being.

“We’re taking care of them as well,” believes Daniel, who also serves on the hospital’s Wellness Committee. His goal is simple: get people moving more.

As access has expanded, he sees a larger and more diverse group coming in and taking advantage of the resource. Daniel and the staff strive to get out across the hospital, rounding to connect with colleagues. Along with Jane Barr and fitness coach Anna Rietsema, “We try to model the healthy behaviors that we want to see in our community.”

“There’s no hierarchy inside this building,” he explains. Whatever someone’s role in the hospital, “these people work hard and are under a lot of stress. We’re here to help them feel re-energized.”

Employees enjoy fitness classes led by Anna Rietsema (top right)

Caring for kids in crisis

Growing services fill a void in youth mental health

care

Amid what’s been declared “a state of emergency for the nation’s youth,” Elizabeth S. Booma, MD, takes heart in the robust—and growing— services within Newton-Wellesley’s Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and The Resilience Project. To her, “it speaks volumes to our hospital’s commitment to children’s mental health.”

In the wake of the pandemic, youth mental health needs have risen steadily. At Newton-Wellesley alone, annual visits to the child and adolescent psychiatry clinic have climbed by nearly 1,000 and consult visits have doubled since 2018. For our expert team of caregivers, the statistics only affirm what they knew long before COVID-19: we face an accelerating crisis, compounded by the difficulty families have accessing care.

“Mental illness is common, treatable, and oftentimes, preventable.”

Elizabeth S. Booma, MD, The Michael S. Jellinek, MD Chief of Child Psychiatry

Elizabeth S. Booma, MD, The Michael S. Jellinek, MD Chief of Child Psychiatry

Determined to be part of the solution, the dedicated team at Newton-Wellesley has hired strategically to maximize capacity while building a comprehensive array of services to best meet the needs of area families and children. Thanks to extraordinary support from philanthropy and the commitment of hospital leadership, they are changing the face of youth mental health care for our neighbors.

A continuum of care, close to home

At a time when many of the nation’s local hospitals are cutting costs and reducing mental health services, the investment at NWH stands out.

“It’s really unusual for a community hospital to have any child psychiatry,” notes Dr. Booma, the Michael S. Jellinek, MD, Chief of Child Psychiatry. “It’s even more unusual to have the combination of outpatient services, urgent care consultations, and community outreach that we offer.”

Since she came on board in 2015, the level of care at NWH has changed dramatically. At the time, only one child psychiatrist was available on a limited basis to offer clinical consultation liaison and referral services.

Unless patients were assessed as needing urgent care, they were directed to other resources.

“Today, we have a full-service team, operating 9 to 5, Monday through Friday, with a nurse practitioner, a social worker, and a psychiatrist who evaluate and begin treatment for kids in crisis in the ER and our pediatric inpatient unit,” Dr. Booma adds gratefully. “It’s meant more patients can immediately begin to get the care they need.”

Outpatient services now include group, individual, and family therapy. The team continues to seek to under stand the community’s needs and expand its offerings to meet them. For example, a new pilot program, PATHS for Kids, provides psychological, neuropsychological, and psychoeducational testing and assessment for children and adolescents, ages 4–18.

Reversing a heartbreaking trend

In the last three years alone, the number of patients needing psychiatric consultation in the Vinik Pediatric Emergency Department and the Pediatric Inpatient Unit has nearly doubled. “Ultimately, our goal is to see more patients earlier so fewer reach a crisis mode where they feel like they have nowhere else to go and end up in the ER,” says Dr. Booma.

One powerful new approach, the Child Psych Short Stay Service (ChiPS), is advancing that goal. This innovative crisis stabilization program targets select pediatric patients who may need higher levels of psychiatric treatment but could likely be discharged home with one to three days of observation and intensive services.

In starting the ChiPS pilot program, Dr. Booma teamed with Ilan Schwartz, MD, Chief, Pediatric Emergency Medicine. Now fully staffed and operational, it has greatly decreased pediatric psychiatric admissions, with 86 percent of ChiPS patients being discharged home rather than being transferred to an inpatient program. The benefits are twofold: it helps beds stay free for patients that really need them, and it greatly decreases the length of stay for a pediatric psych patient.

Before its introduction, “what we were seeing was heartbreaking,” she recounts. “We had kids in a holding pattern, waiting days or weeks to be transferred to an inpatient facility with an opening.” Now, her team is in a position to offer needed treatment to patients who are appropriate for the ChiPS program. The consultation team works to stabilize patients and ideally send them home, whenever possible.

The power of prevention

In parallel to the growth of hospital-based services, The Resilience Project has promoted greater mental health and wellness through its groundbreaking community outreach. Launched in 2016, the program was made possible by transformative gifts from the Manton

“Ultimately, our goal is to see more patients earlier so fewer reach a crisis mode where they feel like they have nowhere else to go and end up in the ER.”

Foundation and is supported by ongoing philanthropic funding and The Resilience Project Council, through the hospital’s Community Collaborative.

Prevention, education, and early intervention are at the center of its work. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, community needs grew exponentially. “It really shined a light on the growing problem, and how difficult it is for families to access care,” says Jennifer DelRey, PhD, The Resilience Project’s associate director and a psychologist in the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

“Not everyone needs treatment, but access to mental health support and education can be impactful for prevention and promoting wellbeing,” she says. “We are here to support kids, families, and schools, with a broad range of services to meet them where they are, right in their community.”

The Resilience Project enables Newton-Wellesley to offer schools, families, and students in the area access to an array of services at no cost. The long list of offerings includes professional development and clinical consultation for school staff, an annual educational summit, and educational and skill building programming for families and parents.

As part of the project’s school outreach, an NWH team supports each of 18 middle and high schools that fall within six surrounding cities and towns in the hospital’s catchment area. “The individual needs of each school and district can change from year to year,” explains Dr. DelRey. “We take the time to learn what their needs are, and to get to know the staff.” In the future, the goal is to expand to include elementary schools.

Never worry alone

When it comes to mental health, “whether you are a kid or a parent, it can feel so isolating,” notes Dr. Booma. To ensure kids get the support they need, the programs and services aim to reduce the stigma around mental illness and promote well-being within the community.

“

When to Worry, What to Do is an essential topic in many of our talks,” adds Dr. DelRey. “We help teachers and parents understand what’s typical child and adolescent behavior and development, what might suggest something of concern is happening, and who they can reach out to for help.”

Overwhelmingly, parents and caregivers have responded with enthusiasm, grateful for the support and reassurance during a very challenging time. “Last fall, I found myself having a parenting nervous breakdown,”

“We are here to support kids, families, and schools, with a broad range of services to meet them where they are, right in their community.”

Jennifer DelRey, PhD, Associate Director, The Resilience Project

notes one parent attendee of the Raising Resilient Teens workshop. “Our group was safe and respectful, therefore allowing us to have meaningful, honest, and interesting discussions. What happened over the six weeks was transformative for my family.”

This is just the kind of feedback the NWH team is hoping to hear. “Our goal is to make as much information as available as possible and reach as many people as we can,” says Dr. DelRey. The Resilience Project offers not only a network of resources on their website but also events with community partners—more than 30 and counting— to heighten awareness and reach a broader audience.

Invested in patients’ well-being

A vast team of child psychiatrists, psychologists, pediatricians, nurses, social workers, child life specialists, administrators, and other team members are invested in caring for their patients and community and providing proactive, comprehensive mental health support.

Together, “we view mental health not as the absence of illness but also the promotion of well-being,” Dr. DelRey

reflects. “And we spend a lot of time thinking and talking about how we promote this for children and adolescents of all ages.”

“As a clinical team, we see so many kids in crisis in the ER who haven’t been able to access treatment,” adds Dr. Booma. “And we know that if they had been able to get help earlier, they could have been on a different path.”

In spite of under-reimbursement of services by health insurers, the generosity of donors combined with funding from the hospital continues to build and sustain the programming. Grateful and undaunted, Dr. Booma and the team remain committed to life-changing care:

“We want people to know that mental illness is common, treatable, and oftentimes, preventable.”

For more information on NWH’s range of psychiatry services and programs, go to: https://www.nwh.org/ psychiatry/child-and-adolescent-psychiatry

A center for excellence

The Manton Breast Imaging Center has been designated as a “Center of Excellence” by the American College of Radiology for its outstanding care. For a glimpse of how the center and team excel, look to the thank-you notes of grateful patients. A high-risk patient is “always impressed by the kindness and care I get when I come in,” adding “I am always quite nervous, and the staff is calming and patient.” Another “would never consider going anywhere else.” The warmth and individual attention make Newton-Wellesley “my favorite hospital.”

A recent name change will make it even more welcoming. As announced by NWH this fall, The Manton Women’s Imaging Center will now be called The Manton Breast Imaging Center. Although breast cancer occurs mainly in women, men are also at risk. Transgender and gender non-conforming patients have also described feeling unwelcome in gendered environments, which can lead to healthcare disparities. The change will help to create an inclusive, gender-neutral environment.

The community counts on the center for 45,000 mammograms annually. “Year after year they consistently provide the best experience and the best of care.”

years, I’ve come to the Imaging Center and every single staff person is professional, kind, informative, reassuring, prompt, and respectful, every single visit that I’ve had.” A grateful patient

“For

Together on the path to wellness

Learning

to live your best life after breast cancer

Meet the Originals. While each has her own compelling story of strength and healing, together this amazing group of women have woven a shared identity. In the fall of 2019, their life paths first intersected through an intriguing new program, Paving the Path to Wellness for Breast Cancer Survivors, held at Newton-Wellesley.

They spent 12 weeks gathering with the program’s founder, Amy Comander, MD, director of breast oncology and cancer survivorship at the Mass General Cancer Center at Newton-Wellesley and director of lifestyle medicine for the MGCC. Along with getting answers to their pressing questions, they gained a deeper understanding of every facet of their health and well-being.

When the Paving program ended, they were just beginning.

With help from Dr. Comander, they found a meeting room at the hospital so they could keep coming together on their own. While the pandemic forced them to go virtual, they kept meeting twice a month via Zoom, continuing to learn together and be there for each other.

They’ve never stopped.

Devoted to health and growth Joining forces for a fundraising walk early on, they needed to come up with a team name and landed on “The Originals.” They’ve embraced it ever since. This past June, five of the nine—Linda, Liz, Janet, Jane, and Mary-- reunited in person to take part in a 5K to benefit the Paving program, and they were the third highest team in fund raising.

While the walk was virtual, they took advantage of the opportunity to see each other in person, some for the first time in more than two years. Those who could make it gathered at Janet’s house and walked together through her neighborhood.

Fittingly, it took place on National Cancer Survivors Day—a day to “unite to recognize cancer survivors, raise

awareness of the ongoing challenges cancer survivors face, and—most importantly—celebrate life.”

“Cancer brought us together, and our intent in living a good life has kept us together,” reflects Linda, who helped to spearhead their initial sessions. “As a group, we’re very devoted to health and growth, to being the best people we can be.”

When she first heard about the Paving program, “I think I was the first to sign up!” she says. It fascinated her that a cancer center would offer an integrated approach to support grounded in lifestyle medicine.

“The most impressive thing to me was that it existed at all,” she says.

After having the rigor of treatment dominate her thoughts, Linda shifted her attention to nutrition, sleep, physical activity, and wellness. “These are the core things that I realized I needed to focus on,” she says. “They’re really the things that are supportive of living a good life for everyone.”

Three years later, she’s grateful to be feeling well and credits the Paving program with being “a kickoff to my devotion to staying well.” It gave her perspective and helped her to think purposefully about how to approach her health for the rest of her life.

Personally, “I’m always on a path to growth,” she says.

Learning together

“Breast cancer wasn’t something that I’d ever imagined,” says Liz, one of Linda’s stalwart teammates. The youngest of the Originals, she was in her 30s at the time of diagnosis. She had no family history of it, and she’d always strived to stay active and eat healthy.

As her treatment ended, “I was so focused on the risk of reoccurrence,” she recalls. “I kept thinking, there has to be something else that I can be doing.” When she heard from Dr. Comander about an open spot in the new Paving program, she grabbed it.

“I wake up grateful every morning. We all bring to the table this idea of gratitude, no matter where our health is in the moment.” Janet

Thinking back to the very first day of the program, Liz remembers trying to find the words to comfort a woman sitting next to her, after she’d confided that all she, too, could think about was the risk of recurrence.

Then as now, “it’s a safe space to share our stories,” she says. “We understand, and we’re very supportive of each other. That’s powerful.”

Liz likes to think of others like herself as not simply “survivors” but as “thrivers.” The Paving program offers tools for thriving. Her message to anyone considering it: “We are so beyond fortunate to have doctors in Boston who have put together a program like this to help you thrive.”

“Life throws a lot of things at you,” Liz knows. Among the clear lessons she’s learned from the course: focus on what you can control. She appreciates the ways in which the program’s steps encompassed her whole being, from developing self-awareness to understanding how to sustain change. Inspired to help others, she’s now pursuing an educational program in health and wellness coaching.

To Liz, “it’s really about trying to be as healthy as possible and lead the best life you can.”

Waking up grateful “Let’s face it: it’s a kick in the pants to get a cancer diagnosis,” Janet says.

“Each of us as women want to take control over what’s happening in our lives,” she reflects, echoing Liz’s point. To her, it’s one of the things that keeps the core group together.

Janet vividly remembers the very lively discussions, sitting together with Dr. Comander in a meeting room near the Newton-Wellesley cafeteria. As she talks, she pulls out her well-loved copy of the Paving the Path guidebook they used for the course. The book creates

an atmosphere to “live your best life no matter what,” she reflects. Its ideas “just make sense.”

From the start, the group members all shared an abiding interest in learning—and helping each other—to live their best lives. “Everyone wanted to know more.” One of the lessons that stuck with her is not to feel guilty or stuck in the past but rather to make healthy decisions moving forward. Whether the subject is diet or sleep, “sometimes it’s just a small adjustment that makes a major change,” adds Janet. “And that just floors me.”

Now in her early 80s, “I wake up grateful every morning,” Janet says. She relishes life as a mother and grandparent as well as the ongoing connections with students from her days as a business school professor.

As a group, she adds, “we all bring to the table this idea of gratitude, no matter where our health is in the moment.”

Living life without cancer “You’re good to go!” Jane still remembers hearing that message after her final radiation treatment. To her, it wasn’t so simple. In her case, she was coping with anxieties about recurrence and having terrible issues with sleep. She felt she had so many emotions to work through.

On first hearing about the Paving program, she saw it as a natural next step in her recovery. She wanted to know more about so many of its subjects, from nutrition to attitude to meditation. Looking back, she realizes the importance of experiencing all 12 sessions in changing her lifestyle in a more permanent way. Importantly, “everything became a habit,” she notes.

After the 12 weeks, “while it may have been over, we knew we weren’t done,” she recounts. Meeting twice a month still gives her a place to talk comfortably about issues. A retired teacher, she knows there’s always more to learn.

“It’s a safe space to share our stories. We understand, and we’re very supportive of each other. That’s powerful.” Liz

Many of the Originals joined Paving alumnae and staff for a thrilling day at sea in August, sailing on a schooner out of Salem.

Through the group and beyond, she’s continually seeking opportunities. She regularly tunes in to free educational webinars offered by Newton-Wellesley’s clinicians on topics of prevention and wellness. She also takes advantage of local wellness programming, and notes she’s about to start a Live Strong program at her local Y.

“All of this provides me with a path to living life without cancer being in the forefront,” she reflects.

Getting through and beyond

What’s kept the Originals together? “First of all, we really like each other,” Jane smiles to say. For everyone, she believes, “it’s been an essential step in the process of healing emotionally and physically.”

By design, “the program itself helps build a sense of community,” adds Liz. Deep curiosity and shared interests and experiences also forged their bonds.

Along with a sense of community, Linda sees a sense of purpose as a key to living their best lives. By sharing

their stories, “I hope others will be inspired to think about their health beyond treatment.” She’d love to see more people become committed to taking care of themselves.

They all appreciate how Dr. Comander remains commit ted to them and other Paving alumnae, keeping in touch and inviting them to take advantage of other programs that they might find helpful.

The best thing, says Janet, “is having found these people—my Originals—who help me through.”

“The Originals are part of each other’s journey, and we had the Paving program as a guide,” she reflects. “It not only gets you through what can be an awful time, but it gets you beyond.”

For more information on the Paving program and other resources for Survivorship Care, visit: https://www.nwh. org/mass-general-cancer-center/

Optimizing the health of breast cancer survivors

At the Mass General Cancer Center at NewtonWellesley, patients see a multidisciplinary team of specialists from day one. Amy Comander, MD, is grateful to be part of its team as the center’s director of breast oncology and cancer survivorship.

Her patients have the reassurance of knowing they’ll have an amazing team caring for them every step of the way. From diagnosis through surgery, treatment, and during survivorship phase of care, the ongoing support is invaluable.

The Paving the Path to Wellness program is just one of an array of survivorship programs now offered through the Cancer Center at Newton-Wellesley. It grew from

her understanding that her breast cancer patients would benefit from even greater support and education. Developed in collaboration with Beth Frates, MD, the program is founded on the evidence-based principles of lifestyle medicine.

The lessons stress the importance of making lifestyle changes that can help to optimize patients’ health during the first five years after treatment and beyond, Dr. Comander explains. A growing body of evidence points to the important role that nutrition, body weight and physical activity play in reducing risk for cancer and for optimizing health for cancer survivors.

She’s excited to see how it’s helping many breast cancer survivors reclaim their well-being after treatment.

In each new session, “all of these things we’re taking about with lifestyle medicine are things we’re working on one step at a time to improve our health in the long run, truly paving the path to wellness,” she reflects.

Amy Comander, MD, director of breast oncology and cancer survivorship at the Mass General Cancer Center at Newton-Wellesley

A life-changing opportunity

Training the next generation of surgical technologists

At Newton-Wellesley, an innovative new surgical technology program provides a prime example of our investment in building and supporting a highly trained team of caregivers.

A select group of NWH staff have already seized this life-changing opportunity. Their goal: to become Certified Surgical Technologists. Through a partnership between NWH and Lasell University, they’ll gain the tools they need to take on this demanding—and much-in-demand—job.

This fall they began 500 clinical hours at Newton-Wellesley and will scrub in on 120 surgical procedures. Together, they are learning to prepare the OR, set up equipment, anticipate surgeons’ needs, and remain constantly vigilant in maintaining a sterile field.

Hospitals face a critical shortage of these essential surgical team members locally and nationally. Newton-Wellesley chose to meet the challenge head on, says Lyn Ames, DNP, RN, CNOR, MBA, Associate Chief Nurse and one of the program’s architects. At the same time, it will advance staff careers as well as help diversify our hospital community—all to the benefit of patients.

Giving back

Allisan Gray is proud and excited to be one of the first students.

She joined the NWH team a year and a half ago after beginning her career in Colorado as an EMT and in patient care roles. She credits her grandmother—a longtime OR nurse—as inspiring her career goals. Coming East in part to be closer to family, “I’ve found a team that’s almost like family,” she says.

“I really love Newton-Wellesley,” adds Allisan. “Everyone wants you to succeed.” As an OR coordinator, she’s surrounded by supportive colleagues who all want to keep learning. Now, thanks to the new certificate program, she’s training to be become a “surgeon’s right-hand person,” as she describes it.

With support from philanthropy, NWH will fund her education with a full scholarship—and guarantee her a job after graduation and certification. In return, Allisan is committed to stay on for at least three years in her new role. “I can give back to the hospital for giving back to me.”

Investing in staff

The Boston Globe highlighted the launch of the initiative as part of a feature on hospitals’ efforts to address staffing shortages. “If you create a culture of investing

in your staff, [people] feel valued…and choose to stay,” commented Errol R. Norwitz, MD, PhD, MBA, NewtonWellesley’s President and CEO. “That’s the kind of culture we’re trying to create here.”

More than 100 people turned out for the initial informa tional session last spring. They ranged from 18-year-olds just out of high school to career changers in their 50s. They represented a wide array of roles—from patient care associates to pharmacy techs to medical assistants.

“We had an incredible opening night,” Dr. Ames recounts. For NWH employees, “it’s a phenomenal benefit and something special that we can do to further their education and careers.”

A veteran OR nurse and nurse administrator, she worked with Lasell to develop the curriculum, the institutional base, and the clinical sites. The yearlong, 36-credit certificate program builds on instructors and coursework already in place in the university’s health sciences degree program.

As of this fall, the first two student cohorts are underway, and Dr. Ames anticipates the program will undergo its review for national accreditation in February. Through the generosity of donors, she sees the potential to fund the training of 100 staff over its first few years.

Philanthropy in Action

Celebrating leaders in philanthropic support

For the first time in three years, many of the hospital’s most generous supporters gathered in person for the annual Leadership Donor Celebration. Held at the Woodland Golf Club, the event drew nearly 100 guests for an evening of lively conversation and connection.

“All around me at Newton-Wellesley, I see the impact of your philanthropy,” said Errol R. Norwitz, MD, PhD, MBA, President and CEO, in welcoming guests. He reflected on how much their extraordinary support has meant to so many of the hospital’s priorities, from the Linear Accelerator expansion project to the Women in Medicine initiative. As he noted, they could look to the evening’s special guest, Buddy, the NWH facility dog, to see what philanthropy makes possible.

Joan Vitello-Cicciu, PhD, RN, chair of Newton-Wellesley’s Board of Trustees, joined Errol in applauding their ongoing belief in the hospital’s mission and vision. Katie Connolly, Vice President, Development and Community Engagement, added her gratitude and paid tribute to the incredible difference that donors and volunteers make.

A game changer for radiation oncology

The Linear Accelerator expansion project celebrated its latest milestone this past summer when the first of two new LINAC machines went online. When completed in 2023, it will be a game changer for cancer care, doubling our capacity for radiation oncology at the Mass General Cancer Center at Newton-Wellesley.

Thanks to our visionary donors, momentum continues to build. A recent gift from an anonymous donor includes a $150,000 challenge to inspire others to follow their lead.

For more information on supporting the expansion, please contact Jaime Mulligan, Managing Director, Philanthropy, at 617-831-7753 or jmulligan5@partners.org.

A family’s gift from the heart

The Rossi family has long believed in supporting Newton-Wellesley.

“We do it because it’s the right thing to do,” reflects Jerry Rossi. “And we do it from the heart.” As he notes, giving is a family value embraced across generations, from Jerry and wife Geraldine to their two sons and daughtersin-law to their grandsons.

Their generous new pledge of $125,000 in current-use funds across five years reflects that shared value. They chose to direct their gift to both the Domestic Violence/Sexual Abuse program as well as to the annual fund, giving NWH leadership the flexibility to meet the most urgent needs of our patients and community in real time.

For Jerry, their support of the DV/SA program resonates with his longtime commitment to combatting domestic violence, going back to his first days at TJX as president of Marshalls in the 1990s. He helped to inspire its corporate foundation’s integral role in funding the launch of Newton-Wellesley’s services. Beyond his local efforts, he served on two federal advisory commissions to enhance awareness. It’s an issue in every community, regardless of socioeconomics. He appreciates NWH’s steadfast efforts to address it head on.

When it comes to their family’s healthcare, the Rossis appreciate knowing the hospital is there for them. Jerry and Geraldine will be forever grateful for its expert medical care in one emergency situation, recounting that “if not for Newton-Wellesley, our son wouldn’t be here today.”

Today, when Jerry walks through its doors, he feels the family atmosphere. “I love seeing how Newton-Wellesley has grown,” he adds. “It’s become a world-class hospital.”

Philanthropy in Action

Golfing for student opportunity

Special thanks to the nearly 100 golfers and two dozen sponsors who made Newton-Wellesley’s 2022 Annual Golf Tournament such a success! Held in September at the Wellesley Country Club, the tournament raised more than $150,000 for the Workforce Development Council’s Youth Summer Internship program (see article, page 24).

Philanthropy in Action

Summer interns imagine their futures

Community is at the core of who we are. Again this year, Newton-Wellesley’s summer internship program provided a perfect example of community partnerships—and philanthropy—in action.

A signature program of the hospital’s Workforce Development Council, it represents a powerful ongoing collaboration with the Waltham Partnership for Youth (WPY). Its paid internships attract a richly diverse cohort of up to 20 high school students to NWH every summer.

Along with an eye-opening introduction to medical careers, they gain confidence and invaluable college and career readiness skills. In the words of Kaytie Dowcett, a member of our Board of Trustees and WPY’s Executive Director: “things that once seemed out of reach begin to seem possible.”

From a community benefits perspective, it’s a “win-winwin”—providing work-based learning for underserved teens, developing the workforce for employers, and strengthening our local economy.

Teaming up for cancer care

In September, Team NWH contributed to a record-breaking year for the Eversource Everyday Amazing Race. Together, the teammates raised more than $25,000, with proceeds directly benefitting the Mass General Cancer Center at Newton-Wellesley.

While it was Team NWH’s first time taking part in this MGCC-wide fundraising event, they emerged as the number one fundraising team! Many grateful patients and families joined forces with the center’s passionate staff to make the day such a success.

Our generous sponsors deserve special thanks for helping the team surpass its goal, including Commonwealth Pathology Partners, The Village Bank, and Paxman Scalp Cooling.

We look forward to an even larger team presence next year!

Philanthropy in Action

Tax-wise strategies for year-end gifts

As 2022 comes to a close, giving is on many people’s minds.

If you’re considering making charitable gifts, tax-wise strategies may help you to lower your taxes while also supporting those organizations that you care about most—including Newton-Wellesley.

For example, giving through a donor-advised fund (DAF) or contributing appreciated securities may provide you with tax benefits. For those age 70½ or older, an IRA Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) offers a popular means for tax-free giving.

Explore your options at giftplanning.nwh.org or by contacting Susan Salcetti, Director, Gift Planning, at 617-831 7763 or ssalcetti@partners.org.

Putting others first

A conversation with Trustee Julie Marriott

“We’re all put on this earth to help others,” Julie Marriott believes. “It’s ultimately through service that you feel the fullest measure of joy.”

Returning to Newton-Wellesley’s Board of Trustees this fall, Julie has begun a new chapter in her extensive service to the hospital and the wider community. As a trustee from 2016 to 2019, she chaired its Community Benefits Committee during a formative time. She became one of the earliest and most energetic supporters of what has grown to become the Community Collaborative.

Looking to the future, she’s excited by Newton-Wellesley’s potential not only to deliver exceptional medical care but also to serve the most pressing needs of our neighbors.

Rooted in hospitality

To Julie, serving others comes naturally. “I come from a family that has always looked for opportunities to serve,” she notes. Growing up with a name synonymous with the hotel industry worldwide, “we’ve had our roots in a business that is steeped in hospitality.”

She’s seen that modeled from an early age. Whether she’s engaged in service to our hospital or through her church, community, or foundation commitments, “it’s all about putting people first.”

Julie has sought to model that for her own four daughters. During their childhood years in Wellesley, she focused much of her energy on their schools. After they’d graduated, she found in her service to NWH and the Collaborative a way to both support her local hospital and deepen her community engagement.

As she reflects on that opportunity, she thinks back to enduring family values. They applied equally to business and life: put others first, embrace change, act with integrity, and seek to excel at whatever you do. As a Newton-Wellesley trustee, “it’s exciting for me to be aligned with an organization that shares those same values.”

Elevating communities

Like her parents and grandparents, she has a powerful vision of giving back. Along with her three sisters, Julie continues to build on the family’s philanthropic legacy, together guiding the Marriott Daughters Foundation. They are dedicated to a clear mission: “elevate communities by making services accessible to all.” She also serves as a trustee of the J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation, established by her grandparents more than a half century ago.

Following her lead, both foundations have supported Newton-Wellesley’s mission and fueled the Collabora tive’s growth.

Through her steadfast advocacy, she has helped to make possible some of its most transformative programs, including the postpartum depression initiative of the Maternity Services Council and the summer student internships through the Workforce Development Council.

She sees the critical difference that such programs are making as emblematic of what a nimble, communitycentered hospital can accomplish. Moreover, she sees the potential for innovations to become models not only systemwide across Mass General Brigham but also nationally.

Caring deeply

Julie feels fortunate to be able to put her time and energy into work that she’s passionate about, and she makes it a point to invite others to join her. She sees the Collaborative’s eight councils as a way for capable, caring people to get involved in strengthening the social fabric of their communities.

By nature, “I’m very hands-on,” she says. “I want to put my best effort into whatever I do.” Any task is far more meaningful when she can be all in.

As Julie reflects, “Life is better when you care deeply about things.”

“It’s exciting for me to be aligned with an organization that shares my same values.” Julie Marriott, Member, NWH Board of Trustees

This summer’s youth interns enjoyed an eye-opening introduction to medical careers.

“The beauty of NewtonWellesley is that it can be responsive to needs and work with community partners to come up with solutions.”

Julie Marriott, member, NWH Board of Trustees