The gift of palliative care

With a powerful new gift, the Sullivan Family has increased their groundbreaking support for palliative care at Newton-Wellesley to more than $3 million.

Steve and Rebecca Sullivan of Wellesley have made a $1.6 million commitment to support palliative care at Newton-Wellesley. Coupled with their earlier groundbreaking gift, this new contribution brings their sponsorship of this vital service to more than $3 million.

The Sullivans’ most recent gift will support the establishment of a palliative care nurse navigator position, a new role that will benefit the entire hospital.

Their gift of $1.5 million in spring 2021 endowed the Sullivan Family Chief of Palliative Care position, currently held by Kosha Thakore, MD, a talented and compassionate physician who leads the NWH Palliative Care team.

An impactful new role

Palliative care is provided by a team of health care providers, including doctors, nurses, social workers, chaplains, and myriad trained specialists. The team works with other hospital providers to provide comfort and improve quality of life for patients and their families. Offered alongside other treatments, it adds an extra layer of support and relief that complements ongoing care.

The impact of the new role of palliative care nurse navigator will be felt across the hospital, particularly in our Emergency Department. It will significantly enhance our ability to provide efficient, high-quality care for some of our most seriously ill patients. Research shows that an ED-embedded Palliative Care Consult Program can improve the quality of care for patients and families, streamline patient flow, and provide vital support to our care teams.

Deeply grateful

“We are deeply grateful to the Sullivans for their commitment and compassion,” says Ellen Moloney, president and chief operating officer of NWH. “Palliative care is essential to providing patients and families with comprehensive care and the Sullivans have enabled us to embrace this important aspect of patient and family support. The nature of their gifts also ensures that our service will remain for years to come.”

A legacy of heartfelt support

The Sullivans have been committed to NWH for many years. Steve served on the NWH Board of Trustees for nine years in addition to serving as co-chair of the Palliative Care Council. As the Sullivans became more engaged through events and volunteering, their appreciation for NWH grew.

Wishing to make NWH a focus of their generosity, they became early champions of community support for a budding program in Palliative Care. “As we learned more about the many benefits of palliative care, we sensed that expanding it could benefit so many families in our community,” says Rebecca, reflecting in part on the end-of-life care she experienced with her own mother.

“Looking ahead, we are excited to think about the impact this role can have on enhancing quality of care that Newton-Wellesley can provide to patients and their families during critical times,” she says.