Mastering the "Art" of Volunteering
M.D. Anderson’s Volunteer of the Year Has Given Nearly 6,000 Hours

Like the master gardener she is, Donna Weisser likes to "dig in" to whatever she does. She’s also something of a master volunteer, as evidenced by her longtime volunteer commitment to The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.

This year, Weisser was selected by the department of volunteer services to represent volunteers from M.D. Anderson as an example of an outstanding volunteer during April’s National Volunteer Week.

Following her husband’s death from renal cell cancer almost 10 years ago, Weisser began coming back to the cancer center, but this time she came by choice.

"Though the final outcome in my husband’s case was not good, our experience here at M.D. Anderson was," she explains. "I was impressed with the excellent care he received, and I have a great deal of respect for this institution."

For the past nine years, Weisser says her "car has just naturally headed to M.D. Anderson."

A particularly dedicated volunteer, she works not once, but at least twice a week at the cancer center, helping all day Thursdays in the outpatient surgery waiting room, and at the concierge desk in the Clark Clinic lobby on Fridays. Several times a month, she also is called to do a special tour of the institution for visiting dignitaries or health care providers.

"I like knowing that when I assist patients and their families, I’ve helped them have as good a day as they possibly can," Weisser says. "One day I showed an older lady where her husband’s room would be when he came out of surgery. When we returned to the surgery waiting area, she just fell to pieces and couldn’t remember anything I had shown her. I remember what it felt like to be stressed, scared, and in an unfamiliar environment, so I stayed with her until it was time to take her back to her husband’s room. I know it’s hard when there are no familiar faces around," she says.

"With almost 6,000 volunteer hours to her credit, and her unique perspective on cancer from a caregiver’s view and as a volunteer, Donna is one of M.D. Anderson’s stellar volunteers. She is knowledgeable, consistent and versatile in all her volunteer activities," says Mary Nell Lovett, director of volunteer services. "She is one of those completely responsible individuals you know you can trust to go the extra mile. We feel very fortunate to have her volunteering with us."

In addition to her regular volunteer duties, Weisser also participates as a member of the Volunteer Roundtable, a group of longtime, highly experienced volunteers who participate in a variety of the more than 70 volunteer programs at M.D. Anderson. Collectively, the Roundtable is an invaluable performance improvement resource at the institution, as a sounding board and a source of observation, explains Lovett.

Not one to slow down, Weisser has just begun training for a new volunteer challenge at new patient registration, where she will guide new patients to their first appointments. Her past training as a nurse and her experiences at M.D. Anderson with her husband make her a good fit for this position, says volunteer coordinator Lou Hilley.

Weisser is one of more than 1,300 dedicated volunteers at M.D. Anderson. Last year, volunteers contributed a total of 264,832 hours at the institution, assisting patients from the time they first walk in the door until they leave.

In addition, more than 1,300 cancer survivors volunteer through the Anderson Network (a unit of volunteer services), and last year provided 11,086 hours of mentoring and support services to encourage other cancer patients at M.D. Anderson.

Total volunteer hours given by Donna Weisser – 5,772.52

Estimated dollar value for service – $88,839.08*

*Based on Points of Light Foundation data

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©2006 Texas Medical Center

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