Carolyn Kaelin decided to specialize in breast surgery because it allowed her to know her patients well and provide long-term care unlike other surgical specialties.[5] At the age of 34, Kaelin was appointed as a founding director of the Comprehensive Breast Health Center at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, a major Harvard teaching hospital.[6] In 2001, she was selected as one of Newsweek's 15 Women of the New Century.[4] Kaelin was diagnosed with breast cancer in July 2003.[6] She underwent multiple operations, one of which caused her to lose sensation in her fingers, leading to the end of her surgical career.[4]