News/Events

 The Boston Globe's annual "Salute to Nurses" section recognizes caregivers whose dedication has changed the lives of countless patients and their families.

The Globe received hundreds of submissions in 2023 ~, and we're so thrilled to have had NINETEEN LETTERS selected that feature a Boston IVF nursing team member! It's a testament to the kind and talented individuals we have ~ and the quality of care we deliver. 

Thank you to our wonderful patients! Each of your stories is heartwarming and inspiring to those on their journeys to parenthood.

Boston IVF

Jessica Camprone-Suski, Boston IVF Albany, New York

Jess has been our nurse for the last couple years. I am now 38 weeks pregnant and due any day with our miracle baby boy. Jess was prompt in her responses, both via email and phone. She was patient, kind, and always had time to answer our questions and bring our concerns to the doctor. She was supportive and knowledgeable about all medication and administration. I couldn’t have gotten through the last two years of this journey without her. – Nominated by Emily Pearce

Barbara DelSignore, Boston IVF Portland, Maine

Barbara is possibly one of the most important relationships I had throughout 2021 and into 2022. After I tried to conceive for four years, and finally decided to do IVF, Barbara was there for every phone call, talking me through the next steps and easing my anxiety. Barbara made numerous calls to tell me that the transfer had not worked. Each time we decided to try again, she was always there to encourage us. When the test finally came back positive, we both cried happy tears. Barbara truly cared for us. We weren’t just a number to her, but patients that she really cared about and wanted to see succeed. She will always hold a special place in our hearts. Without her care and thoughtfulness, we might not have had the courage to keep trying. We credit much of our little family to Barbara. – Nominated by Jessica Riley

Amanda Dervishian, Boston IVF

Amanda is very kind. Besides being very professional and attentive, she explains things in ways I can understand. I don’t speak much English. I’m especially grateful for her patience, and that such an educated and kind person tries to help me with everything she can. – Nominated by Luz Salas

Angela Dubowik, Boston IVF Waltham

Angela has been more than just a nurse to me. Going through IVF isn’t easy, and having someone like Angela by my side helps. She consistently checks to make sure I have everything I need and gets my case to whatever doctor it needs for approvals. She is always willing to go to bat for me when it comes to insurance approvals. Sometimes I wake up to an email before I can even reach out. She is kind, thoughtful, and is great with communicating with her patients. She understands my needs and treats me with the respect and compassion I need. She is more than a nurse—she is a friend. – Nominated by Tabitha Castonguay

Mackensie Farrell, Boston IVF Bedford

Mackensie has made the process of tackling infertility bearable. She communicates quickly, answers all of my questions precisely, and shows true compassion when treatment cycles fail. – Nominated by Deven McKechnie

Jennifer Iordachescu, Boston IVF

Just talking to Jen on the phone calms me down. She always answers my questions patiently and makes sure my concerns are addressed. She’s very prompt in calling me back every time I have a freak out with my medications or results, and she’s always there for me. She makes the IVF process much less stressful. – Nominated by Nilou P.

Jennifer Iordachescu, Boston IVF Stoneham

I’ve had the pleasure of being supported by Jenn from 2018 to early 2023. I’m a Boston IVF long-haul veteran who’s been through this mess non-stop. I’m currently 17 weeks pregnant and thrilled. Jenn has been my voice of reason and knowledge for years. When she had sad news, she delivered it with kindness and encouraged me to be optimistic, giving me hope that one day I’d win this terrible race. Jenn was great at providing guidance, education, and medical analogies that I could understand. Even when I was sinking fast, overthinking every little twinge or sensation, or simply forgot what gauge needle to use for a shot, Jenn spoke to me as though my feelings were valid and important. Yes, I was “that” girl. Infertility and IVF trauma ran deep, and it showed. Where other nurses might have dismissed my questions or been annoyed, I never felt judged by Jenn. She was always pleasant and polite. She understood that as the gatekeeper, her approach set the tone for my experience going forward. 

I stayed with Boston IVF because of the nurses at the Stoneham office. And in the end, it was those nurses who helped me to have success with this little nugget. IVF nurses, and particularly Jenn, are a special breed. It takes a deep understanding of the tragedy that is infertility. It also takes a sense of positivity through peril that’s either innate or it isn’t. You can’t teach that. Jenn demonstrates that daily.
– Nominated by Kristen Luongo

Ryan Jacob, Boston IVF

After a miscarriage earlier in the year, I embarked on the IVF process in spring 2022. IVF is complicated on many levels: physically, emotionally, and even socially. No one really understands until they are in it. Ryan was the one who often took my calls, answered my questions, and shared my care plan. Ryan was so kind, patient, and supportive. Once my embryo stuck last June, she even called to congratulate me. And now I have a son. The nurses who are part of the IVF and fertility protocol are so essential. They, too, experience loss and must share good and bad news. I couldn’t have done this without a nurse like Ryan, and hope that she and other nurses like her get honored. – Nominated by Megan Palame

Ryan Jacob, Boston IVF Waltham

Ryan is nothing short of outstanding. My wife and I were overwhelmed with all the steps needed to choose a proper sperm donor, start egg retrieval, and transfer the embryo. We constantly emailed Ryan for recommendations, assistance, and advice. She’s always patient and answers every single one of our millions of questions. If she’s unsure about something, she double-checks and follows up without us having to reach out multiple times. Ryan is also super speedy with her responses, which are especially important during time-sensitive tasks, such as when buying sperm and starting or ordering new medications—for example, starting birth control pills at the beginning of egg retrieval. She made sure that our potential egg retrieval date worked perfectly with our schedule. She also took extra time to clarify what some of my labs meant and reassure me when I felt anxious. Thank you, Ryan. – Nominated by Brittany Pietruszka

Meghan Kennedy, Boston IVF

Meg is a rock star. As part of my IVF journey from 2019 to 2023, she was compassionate and available to answer my questions, call me with any new plans, and explain my test results. She was the one with whom I shared my pain and frustration and she always helped me with the available options. She is the best. – Nominated by Shruti Panchal

Jillian MacEachern, Boston IVF

Going through IVF is challenging, with many ups and downs. Jill made the biggest impact on our journey. She was there when I needed to cry things out. She felt like a built-in friend who gets it. I was having trouble trying to get a preconception appointment with a maternal fetal medicine doctor. I was getting the runaround, and I needed the consultation in order to proceed with treatment. When I called Boston IVF to speak to Jill (for the third time that day), she heard the stress in my voice. She said, “I will get this taken care of. I do not want you stressed; it is the last thing you need.” Within five minutes I had the appointment. 

Jill was the bright light in our journey. I was upset when one of my previous nurses moved to a different role at the clinic. When Jill came to Dr. Thorton’s team, she quickly became my favorite nurse. I asked to speak with her whenever I had to call for a question. I will never forget getting THE call from Jill. She was so happy for us; you could hear the compassion and excitement in her voice. My husband and I are a little more than halfway to meeting our sweet baby girl. We cannot thank Boston IVF, Dr. Thorton, and all the nurses (especially Jill) enough. Thank you, Jill, for always being in our corner and being our advocate. You are so appreciated. – Nominated by Morgan DiPerrio

Lisa Maschivecchio, Boston IVF Waltham

I’ve known Lisa for several years now and throughout my journey, she has been there for me and called to check in on me after procedures. She even emailed me recently to see how my pregnancy is going. She always follows up, has excellent communication, and her voice and interactions always put me at ease. – Nominated by Amanda Esar

Nicole McAuliffe, Boston IVF Albany, New York

Nicole has been fantastic. She always calls back, and if she doesn’t know the answer, she’ll get it. She is very polite and you can tell she cares by every interaction. Going through IVF is not always easy, but she makes it easier through her communication and compassion. – Nominated by Kiersten Mcbain

Nicole McAuliffe, Boston IVF Albany, New York

I did six rounds of intrauterine insemination and Nicole was my nurse. Nicole always answered my questions quickly and professionally. I felt true compassion from her every time my IUI failed. She has a wonderful, caring personality and I truly appreciate her being there for me. – Nominated by Laura Pasquini

Kendra McCormick, Boston IVF

Kendra McCormick deserves to be celebrated from the rooftops. I’m a patient who’s experiencing infertility and multiple losses. IVF can be treacherous, but Kendra has always made me feel heard. She has celebrated my highs (positive pregnancy test for the first time in my life) and supported me through my lows (miscarrying twice and lackluster PGT-A results). She’s listened to me cry more than once and is a huge support when I feel defeated. She takes the time to answer my questions, no matter how many of them I have, and always validates my concerns and emotions. 

It takes a special person to be in fertility medicine, and Boston IVF hit the nail on the head with Kendra. Even though she does this every day, the importance of my journey isn’t lost. Most of our interaction has been via phone calls with test results, instructions, and next steps, so we didn’t meet in person until I happened to have an appointment at her center for monitoring. She went out of her way to meet me and put a face to my name. She made me feel like her only patient, when I know I’m one of many. She said that her 2023 resolution is to get me pregnant with a viable pregnancy, so I know she is invested in my husband and my journey to parenthood. I look forward to Kendra being on the other end of the phone and am blessed that she is part of my life. I am so thankful for her. – Nominated by Whitney Fernandes

Nicole Ouellette, Boston IVF Bedford, New Hampshire

Nicole has answered probably hundreds of emails with a plethora of questions. She comforted me when our IVF cycles failed, gave great advice, and was truly the best nurse I have ever encountered. I am eternally grateful to her. – Nominated by Jessica Locke

Nicole Ouellette, Boston IVF Bedford, New Hampshire

My husband and I have been going to Boston IVF for years. I’ve been in contact with a lot of nurses via phone and email, but Nicole Ouellette always made sure I was well taken care of. If I had any questions, or even just needed a prescription refilled and couldn’t call because I was at work, she answered my emails right away and got it done ASAP. Even now, when I’m 15 weeks pregnant, she doesn’t hesitate to answer my questions. Nicole is the best of the best. – Nominated by Jamie McKenna

Victoria Paddock, Boston IVF

Whenever Boston IVF calls, nothing makes me happier than finding out Victoria Paddock is on the other end of the phone. Vicki is sunshine in human form—her genuine kindness, candor, and compassion are rare and admirable. Vicki is an invaluable resource with a versatile wealth of knowledge; she constantly advocates for her patients. Infertility diagnoses and treatments are never easy to digest, but everything’s a little more palatable with Vicki on your team. As someone who’s undergone four IVF transfers, I’ve faced unknowns, including reproductive tests, procedures, seemingly endless medication instructions and schedules, and more bloodwork and ultrasounds than I can count. Navigating this has been extremely difficult, and Vicki has been a source of light and continued hope through it all. Everyone should be so lucky as to have a Vicki on their treatment team. – Nominated by Abigail DeSomma

Kjirsten Ree, Boston IVF

Kjirsten, along with the other nurses on Dr. Pauli’s team, was amazing to work with. IVF can be emotional and heart-wrenching. Kjirsten was always prompt with providing results to me. She once called to discuss them within five minutes of their appearing on the patient portal. She explained the results fully and listened to my concerns. Early in my IVF testing, we realized I was getting sick based on my complete blood count results. Kjirsten calmed my fear that I wouldn’t be able to continue the testing process (we ended up only having one test that needed to wait). She confirmed some follow-up testing needs to ensure I was better for the road ahead. She quickly answered questions about medication or injections so that there’d be no delay in my IVF treatment. Finally, Kjirsten always shared in the joy of my success story. Her happiness in our success gave us confidence and comfort for the road ahead. I would love to nominate everyone at Boston IVF because they were all amazing, but since I can only pick one, Kjirsten is it. – Nominated by Rebecca Richer

Bryna Runeman, Boston IVF

Bryna is the nurse you want to have when navigating the difficult journey of IVF. She is always available, knowledgeable as can be, and genuinely cares about her patients. We could never have done this without her. – Nominated by Holly Galvis

Nikki Seggerty, Boston IVF

I genuinely looked forward to calls from Nikki and miss her since she moved onto a different doctor’s team at Boston IVF. She was personable and caring and made me feel like a person, not just a patient. IVF is incredibly difficult, both physically and emotionally, and having Nikki on my team made it less daunting. I appreciated her thoughtfulness and consideration when delivering follow-up instructions and answering questions. She is an incredibly compassionate nurse and I am so lucky that I got to work with her for the time that I did. Thank you, Nikki, for all that you do. – Nominated by Amanda Clarke

Nikki Seggerty, Boston IVF

Nikki is one of the kindest humans I’ve ever met. Throughout the journey back in late 2020, we had countless phone calls, emails, and communication. She is always there—listening, comforting, and celebrating with us. I can’t appreciate her enough for what she did for our family and me. I’m so grateful that I have her to walk through one of the most difficult times in my life. Nikki is, and always will be, part of our family. – Nominated by Julie Demusz

Nikki Seggerty, Boston IVF

Even though Nikki was no longer the supporting nurse for my IVF doctor, she continued to check in to wish me luck or see how I was doing. She always listened, showed compassion, and comforted me through the hardest two years of my life, going through IVF. – Nominated by Ashley Marston

Lihua Yu, Boston IVF

I was rotated a few times between several nurses. The one who shone is Lihua Yu. She made sure that I heard from her same day, and she even worked during Christmas. I had a lot of trouble getting two of the nurses to reply to my emails and phone calls, but not Lihua. She is wonderful. She is also calm, which helps a lot when you’re dealing with infertility. I don’t know what I would do without her help at Boston IVF. – Nominated by Phung Vo

Donna Zimmerman, Boston IVF Quincy

When people require medical help, it is often on the most difficult days of their lives. With infertility treatment, those days easily stretch into years. Throughout my infertility journey, Donna Zimmerman has been a light in a very dark place. She answers my countless questions with patience and understanding. Donna replies to emails and voicemails on weekends and after working hours. Infertility robs women of so many things, but Donna can give so much of it back; she treats all of her patients with compassion, kindness, and respect. 

I can only imagine what a day in her life must be like: telling some women that their dreams of pregnancy are about to come true, while having to break the news to other women that the treatment didn’t work this time. Donna handles it all with grace. As someone who has been on the receiving end of both types of news—the good and the bad—I can attest to her innate ability to comfort and care for her patients, whether it’s the best day of their lives or the worst. Anyone who has been in the Boston IVF office knows that it’s a very busy place with hundreds of patients; and yet, the journey can feel lonely. Donna makes me feel like I’m not alone, and I will forever be grateful for her calming demeanor, wealth of knowledge, and quick sense of humor when I need a laugh.– Nominated by Jill Parker