December 5 , 2003

MGH helps feed families for Thanksgiving

The Breast Cancer Team from the Gillette Center for Women's Cancers at the MGH helped make Thanksgiving a reality for breast cancer patients who, due to illness or treatment, were unable to afford, shop for and prepare their family feast.

With generous donations from the Dr. Mary Jo Nugent Foundation at the MGH and Deluca's Market on Charles Street in Boston, nine families received a complete Thanksgiving dinner for six, including a roasted turkey with apple chestnut stuffing, giblet gravy and all the traditional trimmings. Deluca's chef — the highly acclaimed Rebecca Caras, below, who once owned Rebecca's restaurant in Boston — prepared the meals.

Ultimately, it was a team effort that made this special donation possible for the patients and their families. Several nurses and social workers helped identify patients who would benefit the most. Catherine Carlo, MSW, a social worker in the Cancer Center, led the effort in finding the donors.

"We are thankful for the honor of knowing and being with our patients and their families throughout their cancer journey. At Thanksgiving, we wanted to do something special to brighten up life a little for them. The holidays can be such a difficult time for patients," says Carlo. "Not only was this a positive experience for them, but also it was a holiday morale boost for doctors, nurses and social workers to be able to offer something festive for their patients. Many of the staff thanked me, with tears in their eyes, for organizing this."