A Lifetime of Lessons in Compassionate Care

Dr. George Cohen first became part of the Children’s National Hospital family in the early 1930s. As a 5-year-old, he came to the old hospital on 13th Street to have his tonsils out. “I remember the mask over my nose,” he says. “Anesthesia has improved since those days.”

George returned in 1949 as a third-year student at GWU Medical School, at a time when our hospital had just three full-time doctors. He worked in private practice for 20 years. In 1976, he came back to lead the ambulatory clinic at our current Michigan Avenue location. Dr. Cohen retired in 1995 with a reputation for calm, kindness and an unusual capacity for listening to patient families.

During his many years at Children’s National, Dr. Cohen’s care and compassion also shaped future pediatricians. “To this day, Children’s National has never lost its focus on kids and family. That’s largely due to leaders like George Cohen,” says Dr. John Lowe, a resident under Dr. Cohen in the 1970s.

Dr. Cohen, now in his 90s, focuses on his own family and enjoys playing the flute. He and his wife, Lenore, have four adult children, eight grandkids and four great-grandchildren. His legacy lives on in the compassionate care that Children’s National provides to every family we treat.