The one hundred honoree: Gwen Mitchell, LPN

Gwen is often the first person from the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center who speaks with a new patient just diagnosed with breast cancer. Aware of that awesome responsibility, she effortlessly puts patients and their families at ease with her compas­sion, dedication and charm. Her efforts extend beyond the patients to comfort staff as well. I’ll never forget an instance in which I felt overwhelmed by how badly a patient was doing, and I said to her, “What am I going to do?” Gwen put her hands on my shoulders and said, “You’re going to do the best you can.” She said exactly what I needed to hear. She is truly an inspiration.