No One Dies Alone
"No one should die alone...each human should die with the sight of a loving face," this quote by Mother Teresa greeted prospective volunteers at yesterday's training and information session for Carilion Clinic's No One Dies Alone (NODA) Volunteer Program. Coordinated through Volunteer Services, NODA trains volunteers to be compassionate companions to those in their final hours who would otherwise die alone. Since 2015, NODA volunteers at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital have spent nearly 2,000 hours sharing this gift of presence.
Due to the tremendous impact of NODA in CRMH's Palliative Care Unit, the program has expanded to serve patients in the Cancer Care unit and the Emergency Department. Additionally, the program is expanding this Summer to Carilion New River Valley Medical Center under the coordination of Guest & Volunteer Services Manager Rebecca LeBlanc. This growth will ensure more patients who meet the criteria for NODA services will be connected with our compassionate volunteers.
At Tuesday's training, nearly 75 prospective volunteers joined in-person and via Teams! A large number of participants were Carilion employees who, in addition to caring for our patients at work, took the time to learn how they could serve others in a volunteer capacity. In collaboration with the amazing staff who makes this program possible, we delivered an engaging and informative training that will provide the foundational tools these volunteers need to begin their NODA journey.
A big thank-you to our presenters:
- Dr. Phyllis Whitehead, PhD., Clinical Ethicist, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Associate Professor at VTCSOM.
- Joseph Whiting, D.Min, M.Div, Bereavement Coordinator, Palliative Medicine.
- Alison Smoke, LCSW, Clinical Social Worker, Palliative Care Team.
Our commitment to our patients, our volunteers, and our mission fuels us the work we do together. I feel truly lucky to work alongside such talented, compassionate folks!
