When Wanda, a long-time patient on Yawkey 9 in the Mass General Cancer Center, arrives for appointments, she is always greeted by receptionist Roberto DeJesus. Each time, he’s friendly and welcoming, taking the edge off of often stressful visits. One day, when Wanda was particularly in pain and feeling down, she ran into Roberto on her way out. He recognized that she wasn’t her usual cheerful self. He reminded her that it was just one bad day, and that everything would be okay the next day — and offered her a hug, which she gladly accepted in tears.
Wanda shares, “When you’re going through cancer, every single little thing that someone does for you means the world. What Roberto DeJesus did for me that day was to remind me that there is always hope or a light at the end of the tunnel, as well as restored my faith in humanity.” While patients come to the Mass General Cancer Center for medical care, the compassionate interactions with staff add a layer of emotional support and warmth to long periods of treatment. Roberto provides a smile from the moment they walk in the door. In a place that can often be stressful and challenging, familiar faces like Roberto’s can make all the difference on a bad day.
