Compassionate Spirit Celebrated at Thomson Event

The 2004 Dennis Thomson Compassionate Care Scholars and their projects

Many staff attended the fifth Annual Dennis Thomson Leadership and Compassionate Care Lecture and Awards Presentation on March 30 to celebrate the legacy of the late Dennis Thomson, former vice president of Public Affairs, and to congratulate the 2004 Leadership Awardee and Compassionate Care Scholars named in his honor.

Paul Farmer, MD, PhD, the chief of BWH’s Division of Social Medicine and Health Inequalities, delivered the event’s keynote lecture, “Walking with Patients: Stories from Boston, Haiti and Beyond.” The anecdotes he shared about his experiences with a diverse group of patients articulated the unique attributes of a compassionate caregiver. Farmer—a 1999 Thomson Compassionate Care Scholar—focused his remarks on the ability of a caregiver to deliver compassionate care despite difficult circumstances. BWH President Gary L. Gottlieb, MD, MBA, presented Dorothy Goulart, MS, RN, director of Performance Improvement in BWH’s Center for Clinical Excellence, with the 2004 Dennis Thomson Leadership Award. Goulart received a plaque commemorating the prestigious award as well as a stipend to attend a leadership development course of her choice.

BWH’s Chief Medical Officer and Chief Nursing Officer Anthony Whittemore, MD and Nancy Kruger, DNSc, RN, were then joined by Jeffrey Thomson to present the Compassionate Care Scholarships. The recipients will be implementing their proposed projects as a way to instill compassionate care among their colleagues in their respective areas of the hospital.

The evening’s festivities continued with a reception held in the PBB Rotunda following the lecture and award presentations.