Sharing dinner every night with family. Adapting to a new culture. Recovering from the unimaginable with the help of your dog.
So often, it is not the major life events that spark gratitude; it is the small moments that matter. And as we have learned, gratitude is often born out of the gift of time.
A mission to alleviate human suffering through precision medicine is, at its core, a mission to give patients more time. The Blueprint Medicines team dedicates hours, days, weeks, months and years to discovering new medicines and bringing them to people around the world. The members of the Blue Crew are not just brilliant and committed researchers, scientists, physicians and businesspeople; they are people who bring their life experiences, passion, resilience and energy to the patients we serve.
To foster community and connection among our Blue Crew, we hold regular Storytelling Events that allow our colleagues to share stories from their lives. The stories fit within a stated theme, which in the past has included Celebrating Innovation, Social Justice and Gratitude. Each year, our storytellers show incredible courage and vulnerability by sharing deeply personal stories about moments of great significance, joy, or sadness, and even those seemingly insignificant moments that become more meaningful over time.
“Storytelling is a core aspect of our culture, and we wanted to bring that to life in an enduring art piece that articulates this through real moments from our lives that are small but important,” said Jim Baker, Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs at Blueprint Medicines. “In the completed mural, we use these personal moments to highlight the interconnectedness of our community and how we’re working toward a shared goal of delivering more of these kinds of moments for patients, through the benefit of additional time.”
The mural was crafted in partnership with DAAS, an acclaimed contemporary artist known for his bold and dynamic paintings and murals throughout the world. The work is titled Moments that Matter. It showcases silhouettes across the course of a day, which progresses from dawn to dusk. Within the day are meaningful moments shared by our Blue Crew, including some moments that may seem small in scope, but in fact inform how we show up for each other and for patients every day.
The experiences reflected across this mural vary widely. One Blue Crew member expressed her gratitude for being a mother, as well as her gratitude for the doctors and researchers who were finally able to diagnose and treat her rare condition.
“I struggled for years until a neurologist at a renowned university took the time to hear me and do a true workup on me. I found out I had two very rare neurologic conditions. Without those doctors, I wouldn’t be alive today.”
Some were grateful for the opportunity to eat dinner and share stories with family every night. Others shared appreciation for time with friends and loved ones who are no longer with us.
And one adopted a dog after a stillbirth, bringing love and joy back into her life. “She helped me heal in ways I couldn’t have done on my own. She loved me immediately, and deeply, and without any reservations. She taught me about unconditional love, unrelenting loyalty, passion, patience and perseverance.”
Not only do we aim to help patients enjoy their own small yet meaningful moments – with the benefit of time that our medicines may offer – but we also focus on connecting the Blue Crew directly with the patients we serve, consistent with our mission, values and culture.
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