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In This Issue:
When Cheryl McDonald-Spriggs started working at the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital in 1966, she planned to stay for only a year.
“The next thing you know, it’s been 40 years,” said McDonald-Spriggs, administrative assistant in Radiology, who was one of more than 1,400 employees honored at last week’s Employee Service Awards for dedicating five to 40 years of service to BWH.
“This is such a spectacular event for Brigham and Women’s because we get a chance to celebrate each of you and admire all you have accomplished,” said Lisa Ponton, JD, vice president of Human Resources. Ponton and Chief Operating Officer Kate Walsh detailed highlights of the year each group started at BWH, pausing to play a clip of Aretha Franklin’s “Respect” for the 40-year employees.
This year, a photo slideshow of Service Award recipients and a special “Thank You” video featuring leadership and staff paid tribute to the honorees.
Every employee has a unique story about his or her experience.
Arlene Cronin, who has spent all of her 40 years in Hematology, met her late husband and gave birth to her son at BWH.
Florence O’Brien-Elliston, RN, couldn’t believe it had been 25 years. “I’ve tried to count the number of patients I’ve taken care of, and I found it to be 35,000, which is a low estimate,” she said. She started in the MICU, moved to the Bone Marrow Transplant unit and then started in GYN/ONC. “The changes I’ve seen in the last 25 years are unbelievable and awesome.”
Gloria Castro, her mother Alice, sisters Sandra and cousin Geovanni lined a row at the ceremony, smiling wide. Castro’s son, two nephews and brother also work at the hospital. Her daughter also served here for 12 years. Overall, the family collectively has dedicated 190 years of service to BWH.
“I am so grateful. Just to say that my kids have worked here is quite positive. After 30 years I have a lot of stories,” said Castro, operations supervisor in the NICU.
For Jean Killam, RN, of Endoscopy, the best thing about working at BWH is the people. “You really get to know the nurses and physicians who you work with closely and all the patients,” said the 30-year service honoree.
These awardees and all of BWH’s employees make the hospital one of the best in the country. “We were named the most reputable organization in Massachusetts for delivering what we promised, being a good neighbor and being a good place to work,” BWH President Gary Gottlieb, MD, MBA, said. “We are number one, and it’s because of all of you,” he said.
Mairead Hickey, PhD, RN, chief nursing officer and senior vice president of Patient Care Services, said, “There’s a Japanese proverb that seems very applicable to why we are consistently recognized as one of the world’s top hospitals: ‘None of us is as smart as all of us’.”
Download a pdf of all the awardees
More photos in the gallery