A generous gift from the Carol K. Engler Foundation to Mount Auburn Hospital represents far more than financial support; it embodies a deeply personal commitment to ensuring patients receive the same exceptional and compassionate care that touched the Raizen family during a challenging time. This remarkable $325,000 gift has established the Raizen Scholarship Program, which supports social work interns during their second-year placement training as well as professional development opportunities for the Department of Social Work, showing a commitment to investing in the current and future leaders and providers who deliver this important care at the hospital.
The inspiration for this philanthropy was the cancer treatment Teresa Raizen received at Mount Auburn’s Hoffman Breast Center for 14 years prior to her passing in 2012. Teresa and her family’s experience was marked by extraordinary compassion, particularly from her nurses, her oncologist Lisa Weissmann, MD, and Beth Roy, LICSW, an oncology social worker who leads support groups for patients with cancer. “The care was outstanding, and the support group was tremendous,” said Dan Raizen, Teresa’s husband and trustee of the Carol K. Engler Foundation. “Teresa always made efforts to bond with the nurses—she recognized and appreciated the humanity in everyone.” Teresa and Dan’s daughter, Claire Raizen, vividly remembers the profound impact of that care. “When my mother was in home hospice, Dr. Weissmann came to our home to visit her,” said Claire. “This was truly exceptional and exemplified the high level of care and love she received.”
Claire’s own professional path as a social worker was influenced by her family. “My aunt Kathy was a social worker. I asked her what she did for work, and she said she helped people, and I wanted to do that. And of course, my mom and her experience are always in the back of my mind.”
The Engler Foundation, led by Executive Director Sara Cady—Teresa’s younger sister and the youngest of six siblings, who all serve as trustees—deliberately sought to engage the next generation in their philanthropic mission. During a call with Claire, Sara discovered her niece’s passion for addressing the challenges facing the social work profession. “The world needs more social workers; they are the fabric of society, yet the field is undervalued and there is a shortage,” Claire explains. “The unpaid 1,000-hour practicum requirement makes it exceedingly difficult for social workers to do their internships, go to class, and have jobs to support themselves.”
The Raizen Scholarship Program addresses a critical need for paid social work internship opportunities, which are rare in Boston and across the country. This program positions Mount Auburn as a leader and model for other organizations, while attracting the best and brightest social workers to serve the community. The foundation trustees recently visited the hospital to meet the three inaugural scholarship recipients, all of whom are being mentored by Beth Roy, Kelsey Savastano, and Debra Shrier, all licensed, independent clinical social workers. “We were so impressed by all the scholars; they are spectacular,” said Sara. “It’s incredible that two of them are mothers, and enabling them to reach their goals would have meant a lot to my sister.”
Through the Raizen Scholarship Program, the Carol K. Engler Foundation has created a tribute that will benefit countless patients and families, ensuring the compassionate care Teresa received becomes a lasting gift to future generations. “This program will help us attract exceptional talent while providing our patients with the comprehensive, personalized care they deserve,” said Ed Huang, MD, President of Mount Auburn. “We are deeply grateful for this partnership and the foundation’s commitment to strengthening our ability to serve our community holistically.”