Volunteering at Memorial Sloan-Kettering:
An Experience That Lasts a Lifetime

Volunteers Dagmar Migliuolo and Elaine Penkert working in the Patient Library

Memorial Sloan-Kettering volunteers range in age from teenagers to senior citizens and come from many different backgrounds and professions. They may be medical students and bankers, homemakers and teachers. However, they all share a common commitment: a desire to help provide a sensitive and compassionate environment for patients, families, and visitors.

Our volunteers are upbeat, caring, energetic, and responsible. Their other qualities include the ability to work well with staff, a willingness to lend assistance wherever it is needed, an eagerness to learn and grow through experience, and a history of regular participation in volunteer educational programs.

	Greg Kachejian, Manager of the Patient Library "The wonderful gift for volunteers is that they have an opportunity to meet an extraordinary and diverse group of people."

People choose to volunteer at Memorial Sloan-Kettering for a variety of reasons. Some are cancer survivors who wish to support other people undergoing treatment. Others want to learn about working in a cancer facility. But whatever their interests or motivation, they are all excited to be part of a team and to experience the feeling of giving to others.

Many patients at Memorial Sloan-Kettering are coping with life-threatening health problems. This can make being a volunteer challenging and emotionally demanding. We therefore exercise special caution in selecting volunteers who are currently caring for someone who is seriously ill, who have experienced the death of a loved one within the past year, or who have been treated for cancer or another significant illness within the past year.

Anthony Delgado, Music Therapy Volunteer

We ask that volunteers work at least two to three hours every week and maintain a good attendance record. Our greatest need is for volunteers who are able to work Monday through Friday between the hours of 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM. Evening and weekend shifts are also available.

We generally seek adults who can make a commitment to volunteer for one year. The minimum time commitment for students is one semester or one summer. The average tenure of a Memorial Sloan-Kettering volunteer is two-and-a-half years, but some people continue volunteering for 15 years or more.

Volunteers are recruited to support administrative services as well as services that contribute to direct patient care. They greet patients and families arriving at the hospital, assist with outpatient registration, help escort patients, deliver flowers, staff the library, and act as couriers. None of our volunteer assignments require medical training or knowledge.

Volunteers work in many areas within Memorial Sloan-Kettering, including:

• The Surgical Day Hospital
• Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU)
• Department of Pediatrics
• The Evelyn H. Lauder Breast Center (at 64th Street)
• Sloan-Kettering Institute
• The Memorial Sloan-Kettering Society's Thrift Shop at 1440 Third Avenue

Workshops are offered periodically to provide our volunteers with additional skills and knowledge that will enable them to be more effective in their roles. At these events, volunteers hear from experts about the latest research and treatment options, and learn more about helping patients with cancer.

To acknowledge the vital role of volunteers at Memorial Sloan-Kettering, every June we hold a volunteer recognition ceremony to thank them for their years of service and commitment to the institution and to our patients.

Anyone interested in becoming a volunteer at Memorial Sloan-Kettering should contact the Department of Volunteer Resources at 212-639-5980, or request an application by writing to the Department of Volunteer Resources:

Department of Volunteer Resources
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
1275 York Avenue
New York, NY 10065

A personal interview is required in order to be considered as a volunteer.

To comply with New York State law, volunteers must show evidence of good health before they begin working at Memorial Sloan-Kettering. The hospital will perform blood tests for German measles, measles, mumps, and chicken pox, and, if necessary, will provide vaccinations for volunteers who need them. Volunteers who are susceptible to chicken pox may not work with children.

Prospective volunteers must also have a medical assessment form signed by their personal physician if they will be working in an assignment that involves direct patient contact. Please note that we require evidence of a current skin test for tuberculosis. Memorial Sloan-Kettering will also provide this test if necessary.

Each volunteer receives a "service description" that outlines the core competencies necessary for the position he or she will be assuming, as well as the responsibilities, hours, training, and any other information specific to the assignment. The description reflects the standards we expect our volunteers to uphold while working at Memorial Sloan-Kettering.

Before beginning work, every volunteer must attend a Volunteer Orientation Workshop, take a HIPAA privacy training course, and receive appropriate training.

	Volunteer Molly Knowles playing drums with a patient

Here are some reflections of current volunteers about their experience:

"At other organizations, volunteers are appreciated, but there is a feeling that you're not quite the same as someone who's working and getting paid. From day one volunteering here, I felt that I was an integral part of the staff and was treated that way. Every request I made for information or help was immediately forthcoming."

-- Beverly Engleman, volunteer for 28 years

"Volunteering in Pediatrics is the most rewarding experience I've ever had. What I get back from it is so much than I put into it. It means so much to see their smiles on the kids' faces when you do something as simple as playing a game with them for an hour. It's all about trying got make their lives as normal as possible, even in this most abnormal situation compared to kids their ages. We try to do whatever we can to make them happy."

-- Jim Fanning, volunteer for four years

"Everyone at the hospital is friendly. It's just a pleasant place to be and very rewarding. The staff treats you professionally. They expect you to do your job but they treat you with respect. If you give your time, you want to be well utilized and appreciated."

-- Clare Thomas, volunteer for three years