平特五不中

听听

April 27 to May 3, 2008

MUHC volunteers have cause to celebrate during this year鈥檚 National Volunteer Week, which runs from April 27 to May 3, 2008. The Trauma Program Award of Merit, the 15th anniversary of the Cuddles Program and the fifth anniversary of STEP (Student Training and Education Program) are three excellent reasons for celebration, and underscore the value of volunteers in a healthcare centre.

Volunteers play an integral role in the MUHC, helping patients, visitors and staff in a number of ways. Nevine Fateen, Manager of Volunteer Services for the MUHC鈥檚 adult sites, explains: 鈥淰olunteers provide invaluable support to patients and staff on inpatient wards and in the Emergency Department, escorting patients, visitors and family members while comforting them at the same time.鈥�

Volunteers also offer a comforting presence in the OR and recovery room: they are there when the patient opens his/her eyes, and act as the liaison between the recovering patient and the visiting family members. 鈥淭here are approximately 1,800 volunteers across the MUHC, ranging in age from 15 to 100-plus years old,鈥� adds Fateen. 鈥淢any of them are former employees who have retired from dedicated years of service to the MUHC, but still they continue to support the patients and staff by volunteering their time, their compassion and their experience.鈥�

鈥淎chieving a healing environment would be impossible without the generosity and thoughtfulness of our volunteers, adds Dr. Arthur T. Porter, Director General and CEO of the MUHC. 鈥淲e are indebted to our corps of volunteers, as this kind of support is the perfect complement to the compassionate exemplary care our healthcare professionals endeavour to provide in each of our hospitals.鈥�

On Thursday April 24, at 10:30 a.m., members of the media are invited to meet some of our dedicated volunteers at the Royal Victoria Hospital, 687 Pine Avenue West, and see them in action as they celebrate the following milestones:

MUHC volunteers celebrate the Trauma Program Award of Merit for their outstanding work during the Dawson crisis in 2006:
In September 2006, a group of volunteers with special training in Emergency Measures were among the first to respond to the critical situation in the Montreal General Hospital emergency room during the Dawson crisis. These volunteers were there to calm the distraught families and students in this time of chaos, and to help the hospital staff, who had been working long hard hours, to care for the injured patients and their families. The volunteers coordinated food and refreshments for students, staff and families, and helped the hospital staff by assisting with the arrangements to transport stable patients from the Montreal General Hospital to the Royal Victoria Hospital.

Cuddles Program鈥檚 15th anniversary: volunteers cuddle tiny newborn babies and care for their older siblings in a fully-equipped drop-in daycare centre
Cuddling premature newborns creates a nurturing human bond that stimulates healthy growth and development. If the parents of these tiny patients are unable to come to the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) to visit their babies because they live far away or have health issues, volunteers step in to provide a warm cuddle to these tiny infants. The volunteers also help visiting parents who have other children by supervising these siblings in the NICU drop-in daycare centre. This helps to support the entire family unit while encouraging the natural bond between the older sibling and the newborn baby. 鈥淭he Cuddles Program is special, as it focuses on the entire family unit and not just the baby,鈥� adds Fateen.

STEP (Student Training and Education Program) fifth anniversary: a program that offers volunteer opportunities to high-school and CEGEP students, along with training in life skills and career exploration.
鈥淭he STEP Program has helped to shape the future of many students by assisting them in developing their skills and understanding in the areas of leadership, effective communications, dealing with loss, managing stress, and the healthcare system鈥� says Fateen. 鈥淪everal STEP students have even gone on to pursue careers in the health sector. In fact, some of them are now studying medicine.鈥�

For more information on volunteering at the MUHC:
Please visit or call 514-934-1934, extension 34300

The 平特五不中 Health Centre
The 平特五不中 Health Centre (MUHC) is a comprehensive academic health institution with an international reputation for excellence in clinical programs, research and teaching. Its partner hospitals are the Montreal Children's Hospital, the Montreal General Hospital, the Royal Victoria Hospital, the Montreal Neurological Hospital, the Montreal Chest Institute and the Lachine Hospital. The goal of the MUHC is to provide patient care based on the most advanced knowledge in the health care field and to contribute to the development of new knowledge.

MUHC Volunteers Celebrate During National Week