Oncology social worker Katie Binda brings compassion, imagination and initiative to patient care. A decade ago, she founded The HOPES Program at the Mass General Cancer Center. Under Katie’s leadership, the program has become a rich array of education, support and wellness activities that help patients and their families care for mind, body and spirit as they live with cancer.
As director of The HOPES Program, Katie is a ceaseless innovator. She introduced massage and acupuncture to complement traditional treatments years before such services became a mainstream component of cancer care. And Katie inspires her colleagues to join her in creating and leading workshops that help patients manage side effects and reduce anxiety so they focus their energy on healing.
Katie also seizes every opportunity to interact with patients one-on-one. En route to a meeting, she noticed an agitated patient. Finding out that he was hungry, Katie promptly got the man lunch and ensured his comfort before continuing on her way.
