I’m happy to say I have known the amazing Kay Lazar for most of my life, starting at seven years old, actually. We’ve had this parallel lives thing: big families (we had six kids; they had seven); each lost a parent early in life (she a mom; me a dad); same grade in school; many of the same classes and teachers; in school plays together; doing splits on cheerleading squad (if you can believe it); birthday parties; our sisters were and still are good friends; I think the first time I say “Fiddler on the Roof” was with Kay, known to me as Karen. Not everything the same: she, Jewish; me, Catholic; straight hair, curly hair; I did gymnastics and swimming; she was a runner.  In fact, I believe she ran a couple of Marathons, New York, maybe? Or Boston? Factoids often escape me, and that’s because I’m not a journalist – but she is!

Kay Lazar writes for the Boston Globe, where I see her name almost daily.  She started some years ago, and specializes mainly in health related stories.  At first, the articles were few and far between, and I would clip the stories to send to my sister or Mom – “look what Karen’s up to!” Now, I find it exhausting to keep up with all that she’s doing,the quantity and quality of her coverage. From the beginning, all her writing was well done, great sources (this is Boston),well researched and presented, explaining difficult issues clearly. It’s no secret the range of medical and health care issues is huge, complex and expanding.  It’s also no secret that the audience of the Boston Globe includes well educated and opinionated readers, some with serious medical backgrounds.  Kay’s stuff is always topical, responsible and worth reading. Did you see the G Section on new treatments for osteoarthritis – that was Kay.  Front page coverage on health care reform or vaccine developments, you can thank her, too. 

I know, too, that it wasn’t an easy road.  She started with a degree from UMASS (where I thought she was studying dance!), and broke into the Boston radio news market.  Moving to New York, she worked for CBS radio news. One day, as a treat, she brought me to see the studio where Dan Rather’s broadcast was taped – “rather” impressive.  With good credentials and years of experience, it was still a challenge to get a job when she moved back to the Boston area. She told me once she was concerned that she might be perceived as old,compared to the bright new recruits. She first landed a job with the Lowell Sun, where we met up by accident as she was covering a spelling bee that I participated in as representative of Middlesex Community College.

But it was not long before she did the work and made the contacts that got her hired at the Globe — for a few comfortable years before the Globe, and print journalism itself, started to take a beating.  Now, in all honesty, I sometimes think it’s Kay herself that keeps the ship afloat, bearing all on her shoulders, which are not all that wide, considering she’s a pretty, petite person. But strong and smart and professional and ethical. I’m happy that she writes articles that I can trust on issues that are important to me. I’m proud to be a friend of the Amazing Kay ( Lazar).