Dana-Farber’s mailroom team delivers kindness to cancer patients

While doctors and nurses are often recognized as the “heroes” in a cancer treatment, care at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute extends far beyond frontline medical staff. From parking attendants to interpreters, facilities staff to cafeteria workers, the behind-the-scenes workforce at Dana-Farber plays a vital role in providing a safe, compassionate, and dependable experience for cancer patients.

Arbella Insurance Group, a longtime partner of Dana-Farber and the Jimmy Fund, understands that a patient’s cancer journey is shaped by so much more than medicine. That’s why they are helping the Jimmy Fund celebrate some of the many Unsung Heroes of Dana-Farber who keep the Institute running smoothly, like Thomas Morales, McDonald Oliver, and Robert Fulcar, who manage Dana-Farber’s mailroom.

The mailroom crew is responsible for sorting and delivering mail promptly and efficiently, which has been particularly demanding during the pandemic due to supply chain issues and postal delays. Despite these challenges, the mailroom team remains upbeat and positive, safely socializing with staff and patients as they make their deliveries. Recently, they coordinated shipments to 74 patient families of Dana-Farber’s Jimmy Fund Clinic for a virtual holiday celebration. The pediatric patients weren’t the only ones whose spirits were lifted.   

“I completely love all aspects of the job, especially meeting and helping others,” says McDonald, who started at Dana-Farber more than 20 years ago as a contractor, before becoming a permanent member of the team. “Working here means a lot to me, because I am a people person.”

For Robert, who has worked with Dana-Farber for more than 30 years, the best part about his job is the feeling that he is doing his part to help defy cancer. “Every time I walk into the Jimmy Fund Clinic and I see the big, beautiful smiles on the children’s faces, it leaves an impact on me,” he says. He also enjoys catching up with staff as he makes his rounds each day. To Robert, it feels like a family.

Thomas feels fortunate that a position opened in the mailroom just as he was looking for a different job 10 years ago. “Working for Dana-Farber is the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” he says. As a father, he explains that seeing sick patients, especially children, can be upsetting. But he also gets to witness patients who recover and go home cancer-free, thanks to the amazing care at Dana-Farber.

Thank you to Thomas, McDonald, and Robert for all they do each day to support patients at Dana-Farber, and to Arbella Insurance Group for recognizing these Unsung Heroes. With the help of our heroes, and of the entire Dana-Farber and Jimmy Fund community, we are taking steps each day to defy cancer and create a more hopeful, cancer-free future for patients.

Be an Unsung Hero for patients at Dana-Farber by donating to the Jimmy Fund today. Eligible Massachusetts donors who give $50 or more may save 6% on their Arbella auto policy. We encourage you to contact your local Massachusetts auto insurance agent for more details.