After a 37-year career as a family physician in Hampshire County, Dr. David Katz of Northampton retired this month at age 66.
For the last 11 years, he worked at Pioneer Valley Family Medicine on King Street.
“It’s been emotional sometimes saying goodbye,” he said in a recent interview.. “People have been very appreciative. It is gratifying to hear from people that what I’ve done over my career has been noticed and appreciated.”
Over the years Katz also worked at Northampton Family Practice on Atwood Drive in Northampton and the Worthington Hilltown Health Center in Worthington.
He says he fell in love with the Pioneer Valley when he came to this area during his medical school residency in Worcester at the University of Massachusetts.
Katz will stay in Northampton, where he lives with his wife, Kathleen Mellen, and work two days a week at the Baystate Urgent Care on King Street. He also plans to volunteer in his free time.
He says he will miss his patients, but is looking forward to some down time.
“After 37 years, I’ll be happy to feel like I am not totally responsible for people 24/7.”
Pioneer Valley Family Medicine has not yet hired a replacement, Katz says. His patients are being seen by other health-care providers in the practice which employs six doctors and three nurse practitioners.
— Lisa Spear
To mark the opening of its new Breast Center, Cooley Dickinson Hospital in Northampton has a variety of events planned for July 31.
3:30 p.m. Paint the Path Pink, a 1.4-mile breast cancer awareness walk from Northampton’s City Hall to Cooley Dickinson Hospital’s Main Entrance.
4:30 to 6:30 p.m. self-guided tours of the Breast Center.
5:50 p.m. Remarks by Northampton Mayor David Narkewicz, CDHC President Joanne Marqusee; Chief of Surgery Holly Michaelson, MD; Chief of Imaging Joseph Polino, MD, Interim Medical Director of the Mass General Cancer Center Lindsay Rockwell, DO, and Chair of the Breast Center Initiative Lynne Parsons in the in the Radiology Lobby. Reception includes refreshments.
6:30 p.m. The City of Northampton will provide transportation back to City Hall.
For more information about these events call 582-2216.
The American Red Cross is facing a blood shortage and is issuing a call for eligible blood and platelet donors of all blood types.
Blood donations have fallen short of expectations for the past two months, resulting in about 61,000 fewer donations than needed and causing a significant draw down of the Red Cross blood supply.
To schedule an appointment to donate, use the free Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). Completion of a RapidPass online health history questionnaire is encouraged to help reduce the time it takes to donate.
Overall, the summer months are among the most challenging times of the year to collect blood as donors delay giving while they vacation and fewer places hold drives.
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