Grand Rounds

Thursday, June 26, 2008

On Thursday morning, Dr. Daniela Krause, Dr. Tom Sheldon, Dr. Steve Wright, Dr. Mark Gebhardt, John Hecker, Dr. Nick Tawa, Dr. Sue Pauker and Jonathan McPhee traveled to Royal Marsden Hospital’s cancer research center in Surrey for Grand Rounds.

Hosted by Royal Marsden Hospital’s Dr. David Cunningham and Dr. Alan Horwich, the morning session featured presentations on cancer surveillance and preventive care by both Royal Marsden physicians and by Longwood Symphony’s Dr. Tom Sheldon (prostate cancer) and Dr. Steve Wright (colorectal cancer).

Dr. Horwich led a lively discussion between UK and US oncologists comparing medical approaches, treatment modalities, and prevention. Afterward, Drs. Sheldon and Wright performed a musical offering of Beethoven duets arranged for oboe and bassoon, and were joined by Dr. Krause, Mr. Hecker, and Dr. Gebhardt for a performance of the Ibert Woodwind Quintet. Following the performance, the musicians asked for any questions from the audience. The only question that was posed was “Is there an encore”? And there was!

At the same time in South London, Dr. Lisa Wong, Nancy Chane RN, Dr. Katherine Hein, Tamara Goldstein OT and M.D.-Ph.D. student Jennifer Chang visited St. Christopher’s Hospice in Sydenham. Forty years ago, Dame Cicely Saunders began her work at St. Christopher’s with mindful care of the dying cancer patient. She is widely recognized as the founder of the current hospice movement.

There we met a remarkable musician who is very much like we are. Mr. Nigel Hartley gave us a brief tour of the grounds and then related his experiences as a concert pianist, psychologist and now music therapist for a wide variety of patients and families who are part of the hospice community. He has demonstrated with his life work the power of music to cross boundaries and to communicate, even with those who have lost the ability to speak. We hope to bring Mr. Hartley here to Boston to share this gift with musicians and caregivers.

After returning the hotel for just long enough to change our clothes, we loaded up the bus again to head to our second full orchestra concert, this time with a different repertoire! In keeping with our “Bridging the Atlantic” theme, the concert, held at Bishopsgate Institute in central London, a featured American soprano Janna Baty (singing Barber), and British violinist David Juritz (playing Vaughan Williams and Villa Lobos).

The concert brought together over 75 people, including Ms. Susan Munroe, Marie Curie Director of Patient Services, Mr. Alastair Fletcher from the British NHS National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, Mr. Barrie Walkley of the U.S. Embassy London and other music lovers who were cancer specialists from Marie Curie Cancer Care, St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, Macmillan Cancer Support, and the Marie Curie Research Institute, among others.

Prior to the second half of the concert, Ms. Munroe spoke poignantly about the remarkable work of Marie Curie Cancer Care. As always, the orchestra was as touched by her words as the audience members, and gave an impassioned performance. The concert also raised over #450 in donations for the work of MCCC.