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The one hundred honoree: Mary Anne Fallon

Profile in Medicine

The one hundred honoree: Mary Anne Fallon

by
Mass General Giving

“As a prostate cancer patient of Dr. Matthew Smith, I have occasional contact with his administrative assistant, Mary Anne Fallon. On one of my visits, Mary Anne took notice of a report from the computer network recommending a CTI scan to evaluate a suspicious nodule on one of my lungs. She scheduled my CTI scan, told me where and when to go, and advised me of the results: While the nodule was benign, a five-centimeter aneurism in the aorta directly over my heart required immediate attention.

Two weeks later, an operation removed the aneurism and replaced the damaged section of the aorta with a plastic sleeve. What makes Mary Anne’s action so highly commendable is that it was not her responsibility to act at all. The scans had nothing to do with my prostate cancer and were not ordered by Dr. Smith. But rather than assuming someone else would act, Mary Anne took charge and possibly saved my life.”

— John Bunnell