November 8, 2002

An evening of inspiration
With the arrival of the fall season, a crowded social calendar of fundraising dinners and galas also descends upon Boston residents. During this season of chicken dinners, silent auctions and lengthy presentations, there is one event that always delivers a healthy dose of inspiration —the Kenneth B. Schwartz Center dinner.

More than 1,100 participants attended the seventh annual event held Oct. 30 at the Westin Hotel in Boston. The dinner once again fulfilled the expectations of loyal guests and donors with an emotional and entertaining celebration of the center's namesake and mission. Kenneth B. Schwartz was a Boston lawyer and health care advocate who devoted his life to making a difference in the Boston community and elsewhere. During his battle with cancer at the age of 40, Schwartz realized the importance of keeping the human connection in health care and wished to create a center that would be a voice for promoting and preserving empathy and compassion in patient care. After his death in 1995, Schwartz's family, friends and caregivers established the center to fulfill his vision.

Today, the Schwartz Center, which is housed at the MGH, is recognized throughout the state and beyond for its programs promoting compassionate care in a range of health care settings. The celebration included a touching film presentation called "Bridging Two Worlds," which explores a Schwartz Center-funded study that looks at the experience of 25 nurses diagnosed with cancer and how their experiences affected their relationships with their patients. The much-anticipated Schwartz Center Compassionate Caregiver of the Year award was presented to Burton Polansky, MD, (above, left, receiving the award from Thomas Lynch, MD) chief of Medicine and Cardiology at Brockton Hospital, for his extraordinary compassion in caring for patients for more than 40 years.

The event culminated in a moving musical performance by Beth Nielsen Chapman (top photo), who has written songs for artists such as Willie Nelson, Elton John, Faith Hill and Bonnie Raitt. Since her own battle with breast cancer in 2000 and the earlier death of her husband from lymphoma, Chapman has become an outspoken advocate for the "healing power of music" and performed songs she wrote during her recovery.