Dear Families of Northampton Area Pediatrics,
For the past four years of partial retirement, I have worked intermittently at NAP to help during a period of unprecedented change. Although rapid transformation in our world continues, the immediate challenges of the pandemic have fortunately subsided. Now, it is with mixed emotions that I tell you that I am fully retiring from medical practice at NAP.
Over the past 46 years of working in Northampton and Amherst as a pediatrician, it has been a privilege to take care of your children. Every day I have been awed by the excellent job you, the parents, and grandparents, do as you worry about your children, tenderly nurture them, and help them grow into wonderful adults. Your children, our children, are truly amazing. Every day of working at NAP, the children and you have given me hope and confidence for our future. Thank you for the great job you do.
In the early years of NAP, the hopes and dreams I shared with my partners, Drs. Bob Bissell and Cathy Bartlett, were to serve the children of this community as best we could to manage with paper records and limited availability of resources such as lactation support and behavioral health. Since then, our hopes and dreams have been far exceeded in countless ways. I am especially confident in both NAP’s staff and NAP’s leadership, knowing that our pediatric practice is in excellent hands with a bright future.
My wife Donna and I now divide our time living in Boston and in Ireland. In both countries we enjoy being with our children and grandchildren, and we also continue to do some service-based work with Ukrainian refugees and mentoring younger health care providers. Periodically we do visit back in Northampton where we look forward to perhaps running into you in town.
Our deep emotional connection to Northampton and to NAP will endure.
Peter Kenny, MD, MPH
