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The Brigham and Women’s Health Leadership Forum recognized the groundbreaking work of breast surgeon Carolyn Kaelin, MD, MPH, FACS, on Tuesday, July 9. The 104-member forum, made up of influential women in medicine, business, government, education, law, philanthropy, service and media, presented to Kaelin the Mary Horrigan Connors Award for research in women’s health. Established in 2000, the award provides seed money for projects in research, patient care, teaching or community health.
Kaelin, who is director of the Comprehensive Breast Health Center, will use the $25,000-award to support a new quality of life initiative for breast cancer survivors and, specifically, exercise rehabilitation and intervention for these women.
At Tuesday’s event, Kaelin thanked the forum and presented the plans for the award, as well as her recently completed quality of life study comprising 400 women who have undergone bilateral mastectomies. This initial project evaluates many quality of life parameters, including exercise, and data from the study will be used in her future work.
“The first thing I said when I received the call is how delighted I am to be following in the footsteps of JoAnn Manson and JudyAnn Bigby,” Kaelin said, citing previous Connors Award winners who lead preventive medicine and community health efforts. “This is a true honor.”
The award is named for the mother of Jack Connors, chairman of the Partners Board of Trustees. The Connors family’s generous gift of $5 million has bolstered BWH’s efforts in fostering community-based research and educational programs designed to improve the health and well-being of women in Greater Boston.
The Women’s Health Leadership Forum, established in 1998, is dedicated to engaging women across socioeconomic and cultural lines, educating them about women’s health issues, expanding gender-specific research and developing treatment guidelines for women nationwide.