Denise C. Rollinson Sassower
Emergency medicine physician, nutritionist and fitness enthusiast
Denise C. Rollinson Sassower, MD, passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on July 19.
For 24 years, she was the very beloved wife of Dr. Kenneth C Sassower. She was also the loving daughter of the late John and Therese Lefebvre Rollinson; the dear sister of Paul and Kim Rollinson, of Somerset, N.J., and Judith and George White, of South Dartmouth, Mass. She was also the very cherished aunt of Derek White, Matthew White, Kori Rollinson Rozar, Amy Rollinson D’Orio, as well as several other nieces, nephews and friends. In addition, she was the fond sister-in-law of Herman and Susan Sassower, of New York, N.Y.; Philip and Susan Sassower, of New York, N.Y.; Fern and Arthur Sisser of Queens, N.Y.; and Mitchell and Bonnie Sassower of Queens, N.Y.
After having been a pediatric nutritionist at the Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City for many years, Denise set her sights on medical school, and graduated from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in 1994, where she was a proud member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society, and where she received the prestigious Upjohn Award for Clinical Excellence.
Denise completed a residency in emergency medicine at the Boston Medical Center in 1999, where she received the esteemed David Frommer Award for Clinical Research.
For the better part of nearly two decades, she was in emergency medicine attending at such prominent hospitals as St. Luke’s Hospital in New Bedford; the Tufts-New England Medical Center in Boston; Martha’s Vineyard Hospital in Oak Bluffs; the Cambridge Health Alliance in Everett; the Melrose-Wakefield Hospital in Melrose; and the Good Samaritan Medical Center in Brockton, where she was employed until her recent passing.
In addition, she received multiple research grant funding, and was the author of numerous research publications; i.e., in the field of emergency medicine, as well as in the field of nutrition.
Additionally, she was employed as the staff physician for the Fisher College Health Services, and was an integral member of the Inn House Doctor medical concierge service here in Boston; i.e., two additional jobs in which she worked up until the time of her recent passing.
Denise was also an avid health and fitness enthusiast, and, having had no formal training in marathon running, proceeded to run over 90 marathons throughout the country, including at least one marathon in every one of the continental United States. Among the biggest thrills of her life was running the Boston Marathon every year with the Boston Police, and becoming the medical race director for the famed “Run to Remember;” i.e., an annual race to help commemorate those policeman who have fallen or who have become injured in the line of duty.
In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to the Boston Police “Run to Remember;” P.O. Box 664, North Berwick, ME 03906-0664.
As her devoted husband, Dr. Kenneth Sassower, reflects on the life and times of his beloved wife, he remembers that the last time they were together, she was quite taken by a new “Star-Gazer” phone app that she had come across. According to him, “She would remark about how bright the stars and constellations were on that particular night. It is my fervent hope and prayer that she would come to know that she is, and will always be, the very brightest light to have ever illuminated the nighttime sky above. That is what she means, and will always mean, to me, as well as to so many countless others whose path she has blessed with her divine grace.”