Patient Advocacy Program Receives Award

This year, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center’s Department of Volunteer Services is presenting its annual Joseph T. Ainsworth, M.D. Volunteer Community Award to the cancer center’s Volunteer Patient Advocacy Program.

The award honors the program and its 25 individual volunteers for their role in addressing the concerns of patients and for their dedication to this service. Since 1975, volunteer services has presented the Ainsworth Award to groups or organizations for volunteering time and talent to the patients of M.D. Anderson.

“Volunteer Services’ partnership with the cancer center’s on-staff patient advocates has been a model for volunteer program collaboration between departments,” says Mary Nell Lovett, volunteer department director. “It has succeeded through commitment to the common goal of serving the needs of our patients.”

“Patient advocate volunteers always keep one thing at the top of their minds – the patient,” Lovett continues. “They are there to intervene in nonmedical concerns by acting as a liaison in providing solutions and information that enhance the patient’s experience. Patients think of these special volunteers as people they can talk to and who have a wealth of information and compassion for the day-to-day issues they face. It is the job of the patient advocate to do just that – advocate for the patient. Our volunteers do this very well.”

Barbara Bowman, director of patient advocacy and guest relations; Joan Arnim, manager of patient advocacy; and Angela Hays-Rodgers, senior patient advocate, are M.D. Anderson staff members who work with volunteers selected to be patient advocates. These volunteers, who are trained by both departments, include Jeannie Barry, Billie Bond, John Brickner, Bob Brochstein, Dottie Campbell, Dorothy Chernosky, Gerry Connell, Joan Cox, Sheila Davis, Henry Dean, Gwen Essinger, Faye Fancher, Faye Faszholz, Mary Harrison, Blair Justice, Bita Kakebeeke, Margit Levitin, Anne McFadden, Michele Malloy, Pam Reitz, Theresa Richardson, Mildred Teitelbaum, Susan Templeton, Juliet Wang and Jeane Yang. Each month they collectively make more than 2,200 patient visits.

“We are honored that the Volunteer Patient Advocacy Program will receive the Ainsworth Award this year,” says Arnim. “We are proud of our wonderful volunteer patient advocates who are so dedicated and committed to our patients and to both of our departments. All of these volunteers, past and present, have contributed a great deal to the success of the program and share in this special recognition. The patient advocate department sincerely appreciates working in partnership with volunteer services – together, we make a great team.”

This year’s award will be presented at the annual volunteer recognition celebration April 8 at the Warwick Hotel. Sponsored by the volunteer services department and the Physicians Referral Service, Martin Raber, M.D., executive vice president, physician and patient at M.D. Anderson, will speak, and volunteers will receive service pins.

Originally established in 1975 as the Community Service Award, the award was renamed in 1987 for Joseph T. Ainsworth, M.D., former M.D. Anderson vice president of patient care who is also past president of the Harris County Academy of Family Physicians. An advocate for volunteerism, Ainsworth believes it important to provide the best medical treatment as well as offer a supportive atmosphere for patients and their families. The award honors Ainsworth and his long-term commitment to the patient’s total experience while undergoing treatment at M.D. Anderson. Past recipients include Central Market, Communities in Schools, Duke Energy, Exxon, the Houston Chronicle, the Houston Public Library, and Randall’s.

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