Making a difference every day: Sinai Health volunteers

Fran Turner began volunteering in 2011 and now helps patients through the Mealtime Assistance Program (MAP) at Hennick Bridgepoint Hospital every Wednesday. She reminds herself that “patients have life experiences – jobs, family histories, and accomplishments – and it’s an honour to get to know and support them.” She sees her role as an extended family caregiver, saying, “I think of the caregivers who cannot be there, and what I do is on their behalf.”

Volunteering since 2021 in the Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) at Mount Sinai Hospital, Daniel Kim meets patients and families who are often worried and nervous. “Surgery is a tough time for many. I hope to provide assistance and help mitigate their stress,” he says. Outside of volunteering, Daniel is also a mentor at Innis College, University of Toronto and shares his experience with mentees, encouraging them to volunteer in their community.

Joining in summer 2023, Maiesha Kanieze and Jane Tarrosa work as a team. They support the Maximizing Aging Using Volunteer Engagement (MAUVE) program, which aims to reduce feelings of social isolation for older patients.

Volunteering has impacted Maiesha’s life in more ways than one. Not only does she approach everyday life with empathy and compassion, her experience in the MAUVE program has transformed her career choices. She says, “Working with patients who have dementia inspired me to pursue a degree in neuroscience and potentially focus my future in this field.”

As a caregiver, Jane witnessed the kindness of Mount Sinai’s volunteers, inspiring her to become a volunteer herself. “Volunteering has intensified my desire to pursue a health-care career. I’ve gained a deeper sense of empathy and compassion and this will shape me to be a better health-care professional,” she shares.

Having grown up hearing stories from his grandparents, both physicians, and spending the past six months as a MAP volunteer at Hennick Bridgepoint, Evan Cescon, is also driven to follow a future in health care. “It is valuable experience to work in a hospital. Volunteering has deepened my understanding of empathy which is crucial, no matter what the role,” as he reveals, “One day, I want to be a doctor.”

When planning her retirement, Rena Miller knew she wanted to volunteer at Sinai Health. “Nothing compares to the wonder of cuddling a precious newborn in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit or the pleasure of assisting family in the PACU.” For Rena, volunteering is a privilege and she is grateful for the patients and clinical teams who make volunteering possible. She reflects, “When people thank me for volunteering, I say ‘no, thank you.’ In retirement, it’s so very important to feel that one is still contributing to society.”