Adult Advisory Council
Meet the Members
Mary Dana Gershanoff
After working for 34 years at IBM as an instructor, systems engineer, regional staff advisor and business partner, Mary Dana Gershanoff retired from her IBM career in 1999. At the time, she planned to take a six-month leave to decide "what she wanted to do when she grew up." However, fate intervened, and she was diagnosed with Stage III breast cancer in May 2000. Her treatment at Dana-Farber was successful, and she was so impressed with the patient- and family-centered care she received that she wanted to give something back. As a result, she applied for, and became a member of, the Adult Patient and Family Advisory Council in 2002, becoming co-chair in 2004. She has participated in many volunteer experiences at Dana-Farber and remains active on the Steering Committee, Pastoral Care Committee, Zakim Center Executive Committee, and the 450 Brookline Avenue Project.
Mary Dana's involvement with the council has given her numerous opportunities to speak at conferences, seminars and panel discussions across the country. She was interviewed and quoted for a "Patient Perspective" in Patients as Partners. In addition, she participated in Dr. Lucian Leape's full disclosure working group, resulting in the document When Things Go Wrong: Responding to Adverse Events. She has also participated in the Institute for Health Improvement's (IHI) training program for Patient Safety Officers.
Mary Dana's personal interests, outside of Dana-Farber, include gardening, traveling, animals and programs at Temple Isaiah in Lexington. She and her husband are proud "parents" of four rescue cats and provide a college scholarship for an Israeli soldier who has just completed his military service. Their latest travel adventure was to Antarctica.
