Patients of Jill Allen, MD, view her not just as a skilled oncologist, but also as a friend and ally standing with them as they confront a disease that can often feel overwhelming.
Based at busy Mass General West, Dr. Allen strives to make every day a positive one for her patients, always taking the time to listen with compassion, empathy and kindness. In addition to her own patients, Dr. Allen endeavors to support the entire patient experience at the Mass General Cancer Center, volunteering on the Cancer Center Patient and Family Advisory Council. The council meets monthly to promote patient‐ and family‐centered care, to provide education on the patient and family experience, and to expand the voices of patients and their families throughout Mass General.
Council member Lisa Dooling, a five-year cancer survivor, recalls how Dr. Allen helped her through the most difficult moments of her diagnosis:
“I remember the moment when it hit me that I had cancer. I was sitting in Dr. Allen’s office going over the procedures for chemotherapy. Suddenly, the reality of it overcame me, and I started to cry.
“Dr. Allen was immediately out of her seat and kneeling beside me, holding my hand,” says Lisa. “She told me that together we would get through this. That simple gesture was everything to me. I realized I had a partner in this fight.”
