Fall 2010
Volunteer Voice
A Newsletter for MD Anderson Volunteers
Volunteers Are Part of the Team at the Regional Care Centers
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D Anderson’s regional care centers began with the Radiation Treatment Center in Bellaire in December 1999. Other locations, then-called satellite centers, followed as MD Anderson expanded its services into area neighborhoods in The Woodlands, Fort Bend, Bay Area, Sugar Land and Katy. For these centers, volunteers came on the scene in 2004 and were initially placed in the Fort Bend and The Woodlands centers. Originally a program only available to volunteers who were members of the Anderson Network, volunteers are now assigned through Volunteer Services. “In 2009, program responsibility for the regional care centers was transferred from the Anderson Network to the Volunteer Services recruitment and training team,” explains Susan French, executive director of Husband and wife team Bob and Judi Fletcher report for their Volunteer Services. “The transfer of the program volunteer shift at The MD Anderson Regional Care Center in to Mary Donnelly Jackson, program coordinator for recruitment, placement and training, allowed us to develop Katy. volunteer positions to meet the individual needs of each regional care center, to support the training required for offsite programming and to offer opportunities for so the patients could stay warm. The demand increased, so experienced volunteers.” Margaret began to make hats and she says that patients also Margaret Looper, a retired school principal and a donate them from time to time. She got her own church former MD Anderson patient, was the original volunteer group involved and they make heart pillows for breast at The MD Anderson Regional Care Center in The cancer patients. Woodlands. Her initiative shines through in her work as Staff members are not forgotten either. Margaret makes she has taken on “whatever needs doing.” certain that everyone is recognized on their “special days” Beyond the normal responsibilities of putting together with cards and sometimes flowers or refreshments. packets of educational materials, stocking supplies and “I watch and look for what’s needed and they just let visiting with patients and caregivers, Margaret goes the me,” Margaret says. “Although I do work part time training extra mile with her volunteer work. She is especially teachers, volunteering is my real job. I just love it.” impressed by the bell ceremony, which is held for every patient completing radiation, and feels that everyone continued on page 2 should have a memento from this occasion. She has created special key chains with versions for men, women and breast cancer survivors that she presents each time a patient rings the bell. However, she hasn’t stopped there. When Margaret realized that some of the patients who had lost their hair were cold, she got her niece’s church group to crochet hats