Barbara Lapp's involvement at Dana-Farber began when her cousin
was forming the Friends' Gift Shop and asked for her help. A few
months turned into five days a week for 12 years. Barbara says, "It
was a great experience. We started with a shoe box for a cash
register, shopped Mondays and Tuesdays, then worked at the shop
including some weekends to set up. It was great fun. It was a small
Institute at that time, and we became acquainted with everyone.
When our husbands retired, we followed suit."
Barbara and her husband Larry married in 1950, and they have a
daughter, Joyce. She always devoted herself to volunteering and
just before starting at Sidney Farber Cancer Center (former
Dana-Farber name from 1974 to 1983) was a play lady at Children's
Hospital and a volunteer at the Hebrew Rehabilitation Center.
Since that time, Barbara has been a most active and productive
member of the Friends' Board, serving as assistant treasurer for
six years, treasurer for four years, and chair of several annual
meetings. In recognition of her dedication, she received the Sidney
Farber Volunteer Award in l998.
Presently, Barbara is in charge of overseeing the Friends'
Special Funds. She sells holiday cards in the Dana Lobby for
Dana-Farber during two months of the year.
Barbara says, "The people at the Institute and the Friends are
all very special and dedicated. I have been active here for thirty
years, and it has been quite an honor."