The Mass General/North Shore Cancer Center in Danvers, Mass., has its very own ice cream man. Once a month, to the delight of patients and staff, Tom Gould visits bearing treats from his renowned shop in nearby Peabody, Treadwell’s Ice Cream.
In 1999, after two decades as a manager at GE Aviation in Lynn, Tom retired and bought Treadwell’s, a beloved ice cream destination for North Shore residents since 1946. His monthly visits to the Cancer Center are gifts of companionship as well as ice cream, says nurse manager Rosemary Henchey, RN. “Tom brings cheer to the patients, and when they complete treatment, some keep visiting him in his store.”
Rose Watson, a patient services coordinator, adds, “Everyone gets to enjoy a hot fudge or strawberry sundae thanks to Tom’s generosity. He makes everyone smile. Some patients book their appointments when he is coming in so they don’t miss him. On top of that, Tom is one of the nicest guys ever. All the patients and staff love him.”
