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Yolanda Lorig Colson, left, received the first Michele Kessler Leadership Award from Kessler, center, and Paula Johnson.
Longtime hospital benefactors Michele and Howard Kessler presented the newly established Michele Kessler Leadership Award to BWH's Yolonda Lorig Colson, MD, PhD, last week during the hospital' s annual series of fund raising events in Palm Beach, Fla. BWH leaders have been gathering with generous donors annually in Palm Beach for a decade. This series of events allows BWH to thank donors for their continued generosity and share with them hospital success stories. "Your acts of great philanthropy enable our vibrant community of clinicians, researchers and educators to achieve extraordinary things," BWH President Gary Gottlieb, MD, MBA, said. The inaugural Kessler Leadership Award presentation was one of many highlights during the tenth anniversary celebration. Colson is an attending cardiothoracic surgeon at BWH and assistant professor of Surgery and Medicine at HMS. She directs the Women's Lung Surgery Program for the Treatment of Women with Benign and Malignant Lung Disorders, and her clinical and research interest is in lung cancer and lung transplantation. "Yolanda's extraordinary energy, perseverance and commitment to improve the health and care of patients through clinical excellence and outstanding research embody what we believe is the essence of this award," said Paula Johnson, MD, MPH, chief of BWH Division of Women's Health and executive director of the Connors Center for Women's Health and Gender Biology. Johnson joined Michele Kessler to present the award. Inspired by fellow BWH philanthropist Elaine Schuster's vision and efforts to advance women's health, the Kesslers initiated this award to recognize and develop emerging leaders in women's health and gender biology. During the BWH Palm Beach Tenth Anniversary Dinner, BWH physicians shared moving patient success stories with guests. Kenneth King was initially treated at BWH by Thomas Thornhill, MD, chairman of Orthopedic Surgery, for knee problems. However, quick referrals and the hospital's signature interdisciplinary team approach uncovered and then warded off life-threatening lung cancer. King has been cancer-free for four years and credits his good health to the excellent care he receives at BWH. Pam Donahue also shared her heartwarming story. Along with the news that she was pregnant with her third child, Donahue learned she had a large aneurysm in her abdomen. The necessary surgery was thought to be nearly impossible on a pregnant woman but Anthony Whittemore, MD, BWH's chief medical officer, successfully repaired the aneurysm without compromising the health of the baby, now an energetic three-year-old girl. Additional highlights included the men's health symposium led by Anthony D'Amico, MD, PhD, and Jorge Plutzky, MD, who shared their respective expertise on prostate cancer and cardiovascular disease.