Cancer Survivor Makes Time for Kids and Coffee for Families

They range in age from 18 to 80, and come from all walks of life. Their varied backgrounds make up a diverse patchwork quilt. These are the more than 375 Ronald McDonald House of Houston volunteers. Each is different, but they all share a common mission – to relieve the stress and pain of illness for families with seriously ill children.

From this diverse group, the house has chosen Albert Mowad as its Volunteer of the Year. Albert gives many hours to the Ronald McDonald House programs inside Texas Children’s Hospital. He cheers families with visits, entertains children with craft projects, and makes everyone happy by keeping the coffee ready. Albert’s gentle spirit and enthusiasm for the house’s mission are an inspiration to all the families and children he encounters. Albert is a cancer survivor who wants to give back, and in doing so, also volunteers with the Houston Grand Opera and the Sacred Heart Cathedral, where he cooks meals.

Albert knows that Ronald McDonald House is much more than a place to sleep – it’s a refuge from the fear and loneliness parents feel when caring for a sick child far away from home. At the house, families find a place of warmth, sharing, caring, and love – good medicine for the soul. Volunteers are vital to making the house a home. Whether they give six hours a month or nine hours a week, volunteers bring something special to the house ... themselves.

Many volunteers, like Albert, work on behalf of the house within the walls of Texas Children’s Hospital. Ronald McDonald House has three facilities inside the hospital – a Family Room in the Cancer Center’s Outpatient Clinic, a Family Room in the Cancer Center’s inpatient area, and a 20-bedroom “house” for families who have children in the hospital’s intensive care units. The bedrooms are available for naps or overnight stays, so family members can be close to their critically ill child. All three areas are staffed by volunteers like Albert, who lend a listening ear and comforting shoulder.

Volunteers also play a key role in the day-to-day operations of the 50-bedroom house at 1907 Holcombe Blvd. Often, volunteers are the first face or voice people encounter when walking in the door. This incredible, dedicated team answers phones, greets guests, registers families, and organizes special events such as family dinners. Volunteers are available seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., ready to listen or help in any way.

Thank you to all the Ronald McDonald House volunteers for giving their time and talent to provide a home away from home for families with seriously ill children receiving treatment in the Texas Medical Center.

To learn more about volunteering with the Ronald McDonald House of Houston, contact Director of Volunteer Services Price Phillips at (713) 795-3500 or pphillips@ronaldmcdonaldhousehouston.org.

E-Mail: tmcinfo@texmedctr.tmc.edu
URL: http://www.tmc.edu/tmcnews/04_01_03/page_17.html