Our 2022 Length of Service Awards took place last week, where we were delighted to celebrate the dedicated service of 32 volunteers.
Providing support across a range of roles including spiritual care, as Consumer advisers, ward ambassadors, guides and in our needle syringe program, Amy Lewis, Manager, Consumer Partnerships and Volunteer Services says that “Volunteers help us exceed expectations everyday at Monash Health”.
“Our volunteers are there for a chat when a patient is feeling lonely, they get that blanket or pillow for patients freeing up nursing staff to attend to medical tasks and they help guide a lost visitor getting them to their appointment on time. They are also the friendly smile at a time that is often overwhelming to patients”.
Our volunteers have big hearts and generous spirits and they have a significant and invaluable impact on our community. Our congratulations go to the following volunteers who celebrated service milestones in 2022:
| 5 years | 10 years | 15 years |
| Fred Carter
Anh Chau Jo Chu Wayne Crook Eleanor Duncum Fahim Farooq David Fox Michele Frankeni Mo Hay Beverley Hodson Flora Kanapathy Tony Kenny Greg Nelson Albert Phillips Stefica Simunic Susan Stone Rani Tahira Marina Tong |
Ami Chand
Avril Cummings Bill Dalla Costa Warren Fricke David Hale Neil Joseph Heather Kimber Marge Stevens Moira Tetteroo Jill Whitehead Janne Williams |
Dr Monica Lausch
Dianne Sides |
20 years – Compassion is a passion for volunteer Joanna
Our longest serving volunteer, 87-year-old Joanna Van der Ven has served the Catholic inpatient community at Dandenong Hospital for over 20 years as a spiritual care volunteer.
20 years ago in December, Joanna went to check if she qualified to volunteer at Dandenong Hospital. A priest needed help visiting Catholic patients, and she went every week on a Thursday morning as a spiritual care volunteer.
Joanna was just happy to be there – she didn’t know what to expect or what to do, but she felt confident and supported. And she kept coming back.
Prior to joining us at Monash Health as a volunteer, Joanna served faithfully in her Parish, St Mary’s Dandenong, giving the sacrament of Holy Communion and supporting the Priests in their ministry to the Parish members, as well as sewing some of the Priest’s ceremonial apparels, curtains and tablecloths for the Parish.
“Some patients I visit just ask for a prayer, or the rosary – a few Hail Marys, because they couldn’t do it themselves. It felt wonderful to make people happy just listening to their story” says Joanna, but she often combined the comfort of a listening ear with her zest for action, which on one memorable occasion resulted in a hospital wedding!
“We have a wonderful group of volunteers and we get along beautifully – we come here with the same ideal. The same purpose. That’s it. It’s beautiful, something special.”
Joanna continues to serve passionately and courageously at Dandenong Hospital. COVID-19 and other challenges have prevented her visits at times, but despite the forced distance she never felt far from her purpose. “I want to be with people. Not sitting there doing knitting, I want to give what I can give.”
Her advice for budding volunteers is advice to us all: “Know what you like to do – what you’re called for. Give it your all and try it out. If that is what your heart tells you, go for it – explore!”
When she isn’t gardening, wool-spinning, competing in the royal show with her crafts or spending time with her loving and supportive family, Joanna also volunteers regularly at Mercy Place Aged Care as a Eucharist Minister.
Approved by Anjali Dhulia