NYC Co-Names East 68th Street for Rose Hawthorne

The honor recognizes the founder of the Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne and her care for incurable cancer patients in poverty.

Updated on Nov. 1, 2026 in Cancer

NYC Co-Names East 68th Street for Rose Hawthorne

New York City co-named a stretch of East 68th Street in Manhattan 'Rose Hawthorne Way,' honoring Venerable Rose Hawthorne, foundress of the Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne. The stretch lies between First and York avenues, beside Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and St Catherine of Siena Church.

Why it matters

The designation recognizes Rose Hawthorne's dedication to people living in poverty with incurable cancer. For New York City residents, the street name now marks a local link to that history of cancer care.

The honor marks 130 years since Rose Hawthorne welcomed her first patient into her home on 1 October 1896. Details on how many patients she cared for in the decades that followed are not included in the source extraction.

The players

Rose Hawthorne

Venerable Rose Hawthorne was the foundress of the Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne, who devoted her life to caring for people with incurable cancer who lacked financial resources.

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center is a major New York cancer hospital and research institution located beside the co-named street stretch.

The details

Rose Hawthorne, born in Lenox, Massachusetts, on 20 May 1851, completed a three-month nursing course at New York Cancer Hospital, then located at 106th Street and Eighth Avenue, before founding the Congregation of St Rose of Lima, known as the Hawthorne Dominicans. Pope Francis recognized her heroic virtues on 14 March 2024, granting her the title Venerable.

- 20 May 1851: Rose Hawthorne is born in Lenox, Massachusetts.
- 1 October 1896: She welcomes her first patient into her home.
- 9 July 1926: Rose Hawthorne dies.
- 14 March 2024: Pope Francis grants her the title Venerable.

Historical Context

Rose Hawthorne's training at New York Cancer Hospital, a 19th-century institution at 106th Street and Eighth Avenue, grounded her later mission to serve incurable cancer patients. The co-naming places that legacy beside today's Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center on East 68th Street.

New York City residents walking East 68th Street between First and York avenues will now see the Rose Hawthorne Way designation. The street sits beside Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and St Catherine of Siena Church, placing the honor in a working medical and faith community.

The takeaway

Recognition of past caregivers can connect local streets to the ongoing work of cancer care. Residents near the co-named stretch can look to nearby institutions for current cancer services.