Generous Gift from Canadian Family After Complex Care
Residents of Quebec, Canada, Marie-Claude Boucher and her husband, Brian McManus, have longstanding family ties to the Worcester area. Recently, Marie-Claude, as well as Brian’s mother, Ettie McManus, both turned to the expert physicians at UMass Memorial Medical Center after facing complex health challenges.
For more than a year, Marie-Claude struggled with severe back pain, numbness in her hands and feet and a series of inconclusive diagnoses from local neurologists and specialists. As her symptoms worsened, Brian — who had previously received routine cardiac care at UMass Memorial Medical Center — reached out to his cousin who is a doctor at the Medical Center for guidance.
“I was connected with neurologist Dr. Brian Silver and orthopedic spine surgeon Dr. Michael Stauff and both were amazing,” says Marie-Claude. “They took my symptoms very seriously from the moment we met and immediately ordered scans. Within a day, I had a definitive diagnosis: a herniated thoracic disc.”
Following the diagnosis, Dr. Silver recommended surgery, which Dr. Stauff performed successfully. Marie-Claude recovered remarkably well and was back to her active lifestyle within three months.
More recently, Marie-Claude returned to UMass Memorial Medical Center for treatment to manage her endometriosis. Local physicians in Quebec had been unable to offer effective options unless her condition progressed to cancer — an outcome no one wanted to wait for. At the Medical Center, Laura A. Ferraro, MD, a gynecologist, recommended surgery to remove Marie-Claude’s ovaries and uterus, which immediately relieved her painful symptoms. Once again, Marie-Claude recovered quickly and was back on her feet within a week.
Brian’s mother, Ettie, is currently receiving cancer treatment at the UMass Memorial Medical Center Cancer Center. Having witnessed the excellent treatment her daughter-in-law, Marie-Claude, received, Ettie traveled to Worcester, where she quickly met with an oncologist, received a diagnosis and began treatment.
“My mom’s treatments are going well and she has been a fighter,” says Brian, who frequently travels to Worcester to support his parents during his mother’s appointments and treatments. “There is a dedicated nurse named Cynthia who has done all but one of my mom’s infusion treatments, which brings her great comfort and joy to see a familiar and friendly face.”
As members of the CarePath Program, which is run through the Office of Philanthropy, Ettie and her husband, Ray, received assistance in finding a furnished apartment near the Medical Center so they could focus solely on her health and treatment.
To thank caregivers at UMass Memorial Medical Center for the expertise and compassion they have shown the family, Brian and Marie-Claude made generous gifts to support and advance patient care. Their gifts provide support for the Theresa Hicks Fund and the North Pavilion. The Hicks Fund was named in honor of the Executive Director of the CarePath Program who helps guide patients through appointments and exams, answers questions they may have and serves as a resource throughout their care journey. The North Pavilion is a state-of-the art building on the UMass Memorial Medical Center – University Campus that was born from our mission to provide the highest-quality care while addressing capacity issues. It developed with patient- and family-centered care in mind and it utilizes innovative technology that goes far beyond the capabilities of most hospitals today.
“Every single person who we have interacted with at the Medical Center is providing amazing service,” says Brian, who has been actively involved in both his wife and mother’s care. “The doctors, nurses, staff — their care mindset has been amazing. This is my family’s way of saying thank you.”