Local Family 'Pays It Forward' at BIDMC on One Boston Day
BIDMC Contributor
APRIL 16, 2020
The Norden family reunited with trauma surgeons Alok Gupta, MD, Michael Yaffe, MD, and Charles Cook, MD.Liz Norden clearly remembers the last time Boston hospitals rose to the occasion to face a major crisis. Seven years ago, her sons, JP and Paul, each sustained traumatic leg injuries while standing near the finish line at the Boston Marathon.
Paul was rushed to BIDMC for emergency care. Years later, Liz is still struck by the kindness BIDMC staff showed her and her family during Paul's hospitalization.
On April 15 — One Boston Day — her family's foundation, A Leg Forever, found a way to show the same kindness to BIDMC in a moment of need. The organization arranged to donate 700 meals to BIDMC staff from a local restaurant.
"A lot of memories come flooding back at this time of year," says Norden, a Melrose resident. "BIDMC was beyond amazing. From Social Work, Environmental Services, physicians, nurses and others, we were shown incredible kindness from so many people. Now it's our time to pay it forward."
The Norden's foundation partnered with Boston's South End-based Black Jack Pasta to provide six kinds of pasta dishes, salad and cookies.
"This is a really powerful and meaningful donation for us," BIDMC Chief Nursing Officer Marsha Maurer told NBC Boston in a story about the Nordens' donation. "To have the Norden family so generously return, and return the gift during this difficult time for us, it comes full circle."
"Everything just fell into place. We're so happy to be able to help," Norden says. "When we were at the darkest moment of our lives, we saw first-hand what BIDMC can do — everything that goes into being a doctor, a nurse, a social worker — they are the Boston Strong heroes."
"We really appreciate everyone's generosity," says Laura MacAdam, RN, of BIDMC's Farr 6 unit. "It really brings everyone together to have this at the end of your shift. You leave on a happy note."
A Leg Forever supports those who have lost limbs under tragic circumstances by raising funds to help offset the cost of prosthetic devices.
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If you're interested in supporting the Healthcare Heroes Fund at BIDMC, visit bidmc.org/give to learn more.
About Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center is a leading academic medical center, where extraordinary care is supported by high-quality education and research. BIDMC is a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School, and consistently ranks as a national leader among independent hospitals in National Institutes of Health funding. BIDMC is the official hospital of the Boston Red Sox.
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center is a part of Beth Israel Lahey Health, a health care system that brings together academic medical centers and teaching hospitals, community and specialty hospitals, more than 4,700 physicians and 39,000 employees in a shared mission to expand access to great care and advance the science and practice of medicine through groundbreaking research and education.