WORCESTER — The first time Meg Preissler met Jameson Laliberte, the little boy was having a bad day. He had just had blood drawn for what seemed like the millionth time. Another trip to the hospital, another round of poking.

Preissler understood. She knew what it was like to be switched from room to room, poked and prodded by different doctors, mired in a fog because of kidney failure.