Volunteer Spotlight: Jeanne Coleman

-

Name:  Jeanne Coleman

How long have you been a volunteer?
For Angela Hospice, almost 2 years, but close to 15 years with hospice — first in New York, then in Utah before moving to Michigan.

What areas do you work in/what sort of tasks do you do as a volunteer?
I currently have two areas of volunteering — I work in the Care Center where I help out each Saturday morning with breakfast and any other help needed by the patients, nurses, and aides. Secondly, I am active in the Bereavement Department doing  community outreach work, offering a grief support group to a retirement center.

What made you decide to become a volunteer?
I was teaching health for grades K-12 in New York when it became very apparent to me that my students were experiencing many losses and grief. I discovered we had no health curriculum that dealt with loss and bereavement, so I began to research sources and found hospice. Based on their work, I designed my own curriculum and was so in awe of what I learned about hospice, I began volunteering with the local hospice.

Why Angela Hospice?
When I moved to Michigan, it was very important to find a hospice as I believe firmly that this is my “soul work.” This is what I am meant to do while on this planet. One of the first people I met in Michigan is a nurse here and told me about Angela.

Jeanne near the memorial butterfly wall in the Care Center. 
Butterflies are a beautiful symbol of transformation and new
life.
What is your favorite part about volunteering?
There is a profound sense of humility, reverence and almost “holy ground” I feel when I am with the dying and their families, or when I have the privilege of listening to those who are grieving the loss of a loved one. There simply is nothing like it.

What is one of your favorite stories or memories from volunteering?
In my early days with Hospice, our training consisted of shadowing one of the hospice nurses. I was assigned to an amazing nurse named George. Watching her with patients and families, I believe she taught me what is meant by “love made visible” — a lesson I carry with me to this day.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A Room for Brian

-
Image
   Angela Hospice's donor-supported Care Center     provided Brian with the care he needed -- and        brought his family peace of mind. The Angela Hospice Care Center has always been a community-driven labor of love. From its construction in the early 1990s; to its expansion a decade and a half later; and right through to the present, where day-to-day operations are supported by the generosity of donors and friends – the Care Center is a rare and valuable community resource made possible by Angela Hospice’s caring supporters. It’s also a godsend for families like the Wilson’s. When their son came to stay with them over Christmas last year, the brain tumor he had been determined to fight for nearly 11 years began to overcome him. At 30 years old, Brian was 6’2” and his disease had progressed to the point that he could no longer walk on his own. How would his parents take care of him in their home that was not wheelchair accessible? ...
Read more

Volunteer Spotlight: Ingrid Lasley

-
Image
Name: Ingrid Lasley How long have you been a volunteer? I started volunteering about 2 ½ years ago. What areas do you work in/what sort of tasks do you do as a volunteer? I cover the receptionist desk for lunch hours, which includes telephone calls. I have covered Tree of Life shifts for the past 2 years and plan to volunteer again this season. I also have been involved in numerous mailings and last year’s Walk of Remembrance. What made you decide to become a volunteer? I stopped working a few years ago and decided I could use my spare time best by volunteering. I am enjoying every minute! Why Angela Hospice? Ingrid with fellow volunteer Geri Orlowski My mother passed away in 2012 in Buffalo, NY, and after witnessing the treatment my mother received at a hospice facility there, I knew I wanted to be part of such a kind and caring group. What is your favorite part about volunteering? I have enjoyed meeting so many people who have demonstrated so many ways one can g...
Read more

Detroit Catholic Central Moms Celebrate Hospice Workers During COVID-19

-
Image
A group of Detroit Catholic Central High School moms decided they wanted to do something special for our clinical staff, who have been working so hard in the midst of this stressful COVID-19 health crisis. The women coordinated with nurse Kelly Campbell, Home Care Clinical Supervisor for Angela Hospice, whose son recently graduated from Catholic Central. On Wednesday, the group set up 40 handmade signs outside our Care Center facility and along the driveway, to encourage and cheer our healthcare workers. They also tied big white ribbons around the trees to show support for front-line medical staff. Helen Balmforth, Angela Hospice Development and Special Events Manager, related that some staff members teared up when they saw what the Catholic Central moms had done. “I think, for some, it’s an emotional release to see that,” Helen explained. “I think it has a real impact on people.” The group also brought two large cases of toilet paper. Each roll is individually wrapped so staff...
Read more