Volunteer Services
“When I put my jacket on, I know that my purpose is to make somebody’s life a little bit better.”
“When I put on this blue jacket, I represent MD Anderson as a volunteer. Wearing it means I’m ready for service.”
MD Anderson Cancer Center is all about people — and volunteers join with patients, caregivers, faculty and staff to create a great institution. Who are volunteers • Compassionate, motivated, committed and trained • Good communicators with a desire to help patients and caregivers • Diverse in age, gender, ethnicity and socio-economic background • Adults, collegians and teens; available day, evening or weekend • Some have had a personal or family experience with cancer
What volunteers do Often called the heart of MD Anderson, a volunteer’s role is to enhance quality of life by providing comfort, care and support to patients and their caregivers, to share the considerable resources that MD Anderson has to offer, and to assist faculty and staff in meeting the needs of patients and caregivers. In fact, Volunteer Services offers more than 100 volunteer positions and works to match each volunteer to an appropriate placement.
At MD Anderson’s Texas Medical Center campus and its regional care centers, Volunteer Services staff manage more than 1,000 volunteers working in volunteer-based programs.
Anderson Network This Volunteer Services program offers hope, support and understanding for cancer patients, survivors and caregivers from those who have been there. Most Anderson Network programs are available to all cancer patients and caregivers regardless of where they received care.
Volunteer Endowment for Patient Support VEPS provides a perpetual source of funding for meaningful patient-oriented programs and special amenities not covered by traditional sources, such as: • Patient education materials • Caregiver programs
• Matching patient to survivor, caregiver to caregiver — call 800-345-6324
• Support groups
• Annual Cancer Survivorship Conference
• Patient resources
• Cancer180 programs for young adult survivors ages 18-39
The annual VEPS fundraising luncheon benefits the endowment and raises awareness of MD Anderson in the community. Funds from the endowment also help provide important programs for patients and their caregivers throughout the cancer center.
• Hospitality Centers within MD Anderson staffed by survivor and caregiver volunteers • Lunch and Learn presentations (PIKNIC) • Educational and other support programs serving survivors and caregivers online and onsite
• Patient conferences/special events
• Survivors and caregivers are encouraged to join the Anderson Network, www.mdanderson.org/andersonnetwork
Anderson Network
VEPS
Interested in becoming an MD Anderson volunteer? • Contact the Department of Volunteer Services at 713-792-JOIN (5646) or volunteering@mdanderson.org. • Complete the volunteer interest questionnaire at www.mdanderson.org/volunteerinterest.
Community Programs and Events • Survivorship Week is a weeklong celebration with events and activities for survivors and their caregivers. Volunteer Services collaborates with MD Anderson’s Office of Cancer Survivorship and other departments. • Health Adventures is a hospital- based mentoring program for select at-risk students that encourages healthy living, community service and the connection between classroom learning and future career goals.
If there is a position that matches your interests, skills and schedule, you will be contacted by a staff member in Volunteer Services.
MD Anderson Cancer Center Volunteer Services 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Unit 115 Houston, Texas 77030-4009 volunteering@mdanderson.org www.mdanderson.org/volunteer
Anderson Network 713-792-2553 ∙ 800-345-6324 www.mdanderson.org/andersonnetwork
• Volunteer
Services/Children’s Art Project Task Force is staffed by volunteers and MD Anderson employees who sell the art project’s holiday cards and gifts. Net proceeds from Task Force sales fund MD Anderson patient-focused programs.
Community Outreach
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