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Winter 2013
Volunteer Voice
A Newsletter for MD Anderson Volunteers
Saying goodbye to Steve Stuyck …
a champion of volunteers
Steve Stuyck wasn’t born at MD Anderson,
but he got here as soon as he could.
Originally from White Plains, N.Y., Steve
spent his formative years in Houston before
venturing to Austin to study for a degree in
journalism from The University of Texas. With
that under his belt, his next step was to work
toward a graduate degree. However, the Army
had other things in mind for him, adding two
extra years before he got back to Austin.
In 1972, Steve returned to Houston and
began dual employment with M. D. Anderson
Hospital and Tumor Institute and the new UT
Medical School, Houston. During his 40 years
at MD Anderson, Steve has worn seven titles
including his final one: vice president for public
affairs.
On July 1, 1992, Steve assumed management
for The Department of Volunteer Services and
he feels it’s been a mutual admiration society
ever since. With his open door policy and
obvious support of the Volunteer Services staff
and the volunteers themselves, it’s no wonder
that everyone is wondering who can possibly fill
Steve Stuyck’s very large shoes. We’re all gonna
During an impromptu visit, several members of the Volunteer Services
management team gathered to say goodbye to Steve Stuyck. Pictured
miss him!
left to right are Maggi Suttles, Susan French, Wayne McHatton, Paula
Stewart and Steve.
Steve Stuyck, former vice president for public
affairs at MD Anderson Cancer Center, retired on
Jan. 2.
We’ll miss you, big time, Steve!
Steve, your passionate advocacy on behalf of MD Anderson
patients and caregivers has shown you to be an exemplary
steward for this institution. Since you took on the
administrative responsibility for Volunteer Services in 1992,
you have helped raise the visibility and reputation of all
Volunteer Services’ programs both inside the institution and
in the community. We all appreciate your trust and support
of our new ideas, your guidance when we make mistakes
and your leadership that has led the way to consummate
volunteer service and programming supporting patients,
caregivers, faculty and staff. You have always been our
advocate and this means more than you can imagine. Thank
you doesn’t seem to be enough, but these are the words I
offer you today.
Susan French, executive director, Department of Volunteer Services
Odile Tyler, Richard Parker and Steve
I first met Steve when he very kindly came to visit Bill and
me when I was in the hospital. We enjoyed visiting with
him then and have liked and respected him so much ever
since. He is a special person who has done an excellent job
in his position. We think he has contributed greatly to
MD Anderson. We will miss him greatly!
Cinda Matthews, volunteer Steve, Mary Nell Lovett and John Mendelsohn, M.D.
Steve with former volunteer Thommye Stewart
As a volunteer, I have had the honor and privilege of
working with Steve Stuyck for many years on many
different projects. Seeing him retire is like losing a dear
friend. Steve has never failed to be a strong and constant
support to all volunteers. He served as our voice in so many
instances! Personally, I would like to thank Steve for his
loyalty to the Department of Volunteer Services and for
his tireless dedication to MD Anderson. His friendship
will never be forgotten and always appreciated. Thank you,
Steve!
Susan Fister, volunteer
Steve and
volunteer
Kay Rogers
Steve, as vice president for public affairs, you were a
constant cheerleader for volunteers. Your support and
presence at Round Table meetings was a gift to us. Thank
you. We love you and will miss you. I wish you happiness
in your retirement.
Donna Weisser, volunteer
Steve has helped me too many times to list. His knowledge
of MD Anderson history, the current ins and outs of how
this huge place runs so smoothly and how it becomes
the No. 1 cancer center in the world will be big shoes for
someone to fill. His smile and upbeat personality are one
of a kind. I will miss him.
Marshall Loosier, volunteer
In all the time I have known Steve, he has been a real friend
of volunteers. He always had time to listen and respond to
questions or concerns. He will be sorely missed.
Jan Purzer Wallace, volunteer
I always said, if you want to know anything about
MD Anderson, ask Steve.
Bill Schultz, volunteer
page 2
It’s been a pleasure working in Public Affairs over the past
13 years! Steve has been the ideal “big boss.” His support
of all of our Volunteer Services programs means a lot —
there’s rarely been an event which he has been unable to
attend. His support of the VEPS event means so much – if
he’s in town, he’s promised to come again this year! It was
a treat having his son Danny in our teen program. Now
when I ask him how Danny is doing, boy do I feel old!
Maggi Suttles, Volunteer Services staff
It is very difficult to imagine Public Affairs without a
Steve Stuyck — after all, he nurtured it, guided it and
developed it into the dynamic division that it is today. It
has been his leadership and his firm but guiding hand that
has created such an outstanding team of professionals.
It has been a pleasure working under his leadership and
alongside him in our many adventures and projects. Steve
has always offered his support and a sincere interest in the
gift shop operation and our many volunteer programs. He
has set the bar high and he leaves an incredible legacy for
others to emulate.
Wayne McHatton, Volunteer Services staff
I got to know Steve very early in my volunteering. He
is one of the nicest people I know. He always welcomes
volunteers into the MD Anderson community and makes
sure we’re informed about everything at MD Anderson,
just like the employees.
Joan Cox, volunteer
This is how I feel about having worked for Steve for so
many years — it’s simple to me. I am just always so proud
to answer when people ask me who my vice president is,
what division am I in. I am just so proud to say I work for
him, so proud! He is the best steward this place ever had,
ever will have … the very best.
Paula Stewart, Volunteer Services staff
Steve with Health
Adventures participants
Steve, Anderson Network
volunteer Kenneth Woo,
Raymond DuBois, M.D.
Anderson Network volunteer
Jim Brown
Steve always made time for volunteers and kept us up to
date on MD Anderson news. He made us feel like a vital
part of the MD Anderson family!
Rosemary Herron, volunteer
Steve’s leadership and support have been central to the
success of the Anderson Network and the Anderson
Network Steering Committee. We will miss his friendship
and wise counsel.
Frank McCreary, volunteer
Steve, it has been a real pleasure working with you over
the past 16 years of volunteering and working with
VEPS. Your personal support and advice has truly been
exemplary. I will miss your presence at MD Anderson.
Rick Reitz, volunteer
I met Steve when I became part of the Anderson Network
Steering Committee. He was the first MD Anderson
executive with whom I had any contact, and he was the
best possible example of calm, effective leadership. His
participation and reports at every steering committee
meeting made clear the degree to which the institution
values and respects volunteers. I was inspired by his
enthusiastic devotion to MD Anderson and will always be
grateful to have walked for a while on the same path.
Sara McIntosh, volunteer
I have had the unique opportunity to interact with Steve as
a volunteer and as an employee during my 27 years at
MD Anderson. During the first 10 years as a volunteer, I
tried many different positions as well as being involved
in VEPs and volunteer special events. Steve was always
there to support our efforts and, more remarkable,
he remembered very specific details about previous
conversations and interactions that made you feel your
efforts and comments were important. When the time
came, Steve supported my employment as the gift shop
manager and he has continued to be supportive of the
Volunteer Gift Shops/Appearances operations and staff. It
has always been a pleasure as a volunteer and an employee
to be on Steve’s team. Sandy Gomel, Volunteer Services staff
page 3
Volunteer Services
Annual Report 2012
FY12 Quick Facts
VEPS (Volunteer Endowment for Patient Support)
meeting the social, educational and comfort needs
of patients and caregivers
Volunteer Commitment of Service
• 192,152 volunteer hours
• $2,745,898 endowment corpus
• $207,701 VEPS funds disbursed to programs
• 30 programs funded
• 1,248 volunteers
• 92 FTE equivalents
• $4,186,992 independent sector value
of volunteer contribution
Beauty/Barber Shop
• 6,226 patients served in shop
• 6,726 hats, scarves and wigs
distributed
Anderson Network
• 117,934 Hospitality Center visitors
• 1,315 patient/caregiver support matches
• 772 PIKNIC educational forum attendees
• 1,999 active patient/caregiver members
Patient/Family Library
• 63,097 books circulated
Patient/Family Center and Cyber Center
• 50,095 patients/caregivers served
Volunteer Service to Patients and Caregivers
Patient Services Programs
Beauty/Barber Shop
Cyber Center
Integrative Medicine Center - Mays
Patient/Family Center
Spiritual Care
Inpatient Visits/Support
Bilingual Floor Hosts
Floor Hosts
Patient Advocates
Patient Information
Concierge Desk
Information Desks
Patient Education Learning Centers
Surgery/Caregiver Support
Intensive Care Unit
Outpatient Surgery
Surgery Waiting
Patient Services
Programs
Inpatient Visits/Support
Clinic and Center Programs
ATC/Transfusion
Breast Center
Diagnostic Imaging
Emergency Center
GI Oncology
Pediatric Programs
Radiation Oncology
Patient Navigator Program
Regional Care Centers
Thoracic Center
Clinic and Center
Programs
Patient Information
Surgery/
Caregiver
Support
Representative programs of more than
600,000 volunteer contacts in FY12
page 4
4,000,000
Gift Shops and Appearances
3,500,000
3,000,000
$2.905
$2.995
$3.169
$3.341
$3.561
2,500,000
2,000,000
Volunteer Services Gift Shops
Four gift shops produced $3,561,812 in revenue, serving1,500,000
337,869 customers. Proceeds provided funding for patient
1,000,000
programs, volunteer support and 20 teen volunteer college
scholarships.
500,000
Total gift shop gross revenue
(in millions)
Appearances—a specialty shop for cancer patients
Appearances served the needs of breast cancer patients through 1,420 post-breast surgery/mastectomy fittings. Staffed
by certified mastectomy fitters and volunteers, Appearances is a unique specialty shop for patients. The shop generated
$227,609 in retail sales and $345,404 in patient billable transactions for a total of $573,013, a 10% increase over FY11.
FY12 Annual Report Highlights
• Anderson Network Survivorship Conference |
The 23rd annual survivorship conference with 594
participants was generously underwritten by BlueBell
Creameries, Polo on the Prairie, Riders for the Cure and
individual donors. The conference showcased cancer
experts and survivor stories and provided education,
support and encouragement to patients and caregivers.
sales were $208,388, a 20% increase from FY11.
• Survivorship Week | Funded by a $20,000 grant from
the Volunteer Endowment for Patient Support (VEPS),
survivors were celebrated with a week of activities
including educational and hands-on activities. The week
kicked off with the Riders for the Cure Ride for Life event
and concluded with the Anderson Network’s Cancer180
Symposium for young adult survivors.
• Anderson Network patient and caregiver
matching programs | The Network celebrated 25 years
• Holiday events for patients and caregivers –
and over 25,000 patient and caregiver telephone and
funded by VEPS and Gift Shop proceeds | During
in-person matches. More than 1,800 Anderson Network
the holidays, day and evening volunteers shared seasonal
survivor and caregiver volunteers were matched to
patients and caregivers with similar diagnoses, treatments treats with more than 3,000 patients and caregivers in
clinic waiting areas. On Christmas Day, volunteers hosted
and experiences.
the annual Holiday Luncheon for adult and pediatric
inpatients and their families, and visited inpatient rooms
• Cancer180—because when cancer strikes, life
to share holiday cheer. Inpatient floors and clinics were
does a 180 | For this support program for young adults
with cancer, Anderson Network staff created a Cancer180 provided trees to decorate and community musicians
performed during the season.
poster and made a podium presentation at the February
American Psychosocial Oncology Society Conference.
• Volunteer Recruitment | A new web-based
A poster presentation was also made at the November
application was developed to streamline the volunteer
Livestrong Young Adult Alliance.
recruitment process. An important feature is a new online
volunteer interest questionnaire, which asks volunteer
• Volunteer Services/Children’s Art Project (CAP)
candidates to provide basic information to recruitment
Task Force | Volunteers worked 1,491 hours and sold
CAP products in the Clark Clinic and Mays lobbies. Total staff. It also includes a self-assessment document.
page 5
Teen volunteers get a boost for college
Once again, a selected group of teen volunteers are getting a little boost toward their college educations. In 2012,
20 outstanding teens were awarded $3,000 scholarships, generously provided through gift shop proceeds, to attend the
college of their choice. Teens receiving scholarships for the 2012-2013 school year include:
LaTrevia Burch
Volunteer Staff Support
Houston Baptist University
Bibi CarbajalAppearancesHouston Community College
Denise Castillo
Alkek Gift Shop
Sam Houston State University
Kevin Dang
Cyber Center
The University of Texas – Dallas
Sophia DaoVolunteer Staff SupportStanford University
Connie FengCoffee CartRice University
Anna GuoCyber CenterTrinity University
Michelle Lee
Volunteer Staff Support; Entertainment Rice University
Sharmistha Maity
Volunteer Staff Support
The University of Texas – Austin
Baothu Nguyen
Cyber Center
The University of Houston
Sarah Nguyen
Clinic Aide/Hematology; Spiritual Care Support Texas A&M University
Aashini PatelAppearancesThe University of Houston
Vinita PopatPatient/Family Library AideCornell University
Eliza Posada
Volunteer Staff Support
The University of Houston – Honors
Arjun Rao
Patient /Family Library Aide
The University of Texas – Austin
Heidi ReinhardtCoffee CartSt. Thomas University
Lindsay Ricker
WAGS/Rehabilitation Services
Southern Methodist University
Ye-Jin Song
Clark Clinic Gift Shop; Beauty/Barber Shop
Stony Brook University
Yanyang Wang
Alkek Gift ShopWashington University
Ying Zong
Volunteer Services Gift Shops
University of Southern California
Members of Charmingly Pink provide important support to breast cancer patients and survivors. The group generously donated
100 new wigs, which will be made available to patients through the Beauty/Barber Shop. Pictured from left to right: Sheretta
West, founder and executive director of Charmingly Pink; Shay Hopper, owner, Shaylons Urban Retreat; Philicia Smith
executive assistant to Sheretta West; Melba Patterson, Charmingly Pink co-chair; Susan French, executive director, Volunteer
Services at MD Anderson; and Audrey Cosby, Charmingly Pink co-chair. page 6
Tomorrow’s volunteers
College students wear the blue jacket, too
Take a look around at those wearing a volunteer blue
jacket when you’re walking the MD Anderson hallways. It’s
obvious that young people are getting the message about
giving back to others.
Recently, a college student volunteer program has
grown from the active teen volunteer program, and there
are almost 100 active day, evening and weekend collegelevel volunteers throughout the cancer center.
“This program requires a short-term volunteer
position, and the number of these available varies,” says
Mary Jackson, Volunteer Services program manager. “The
amount of training required differs as well.”
Participants in the college student program could
easily be placed in positions such as coffee cart or hat cart
volunteers, clinic assistants and gift shop volunteers. These
positions are ideal since volunteer positions for college
students often follow a semester–based schedule. However,
Jackson cites volunteer positions such as floor hosts and
the surgery waiting area, which require a great deal of
training, as ones that would not be appropriate for those in
the college student volunteer program.
Denesha Williams not only attends school at
MD Anderson to study molecular genetics, she volunteers,
too. In her search for meaningful volunteer work, she
investigated hospitals in the Texas Medical Center and
was especially interested in MD Anderson. The Volunteer
Services website gave her the information she needed and
she followed the process to become a volunteer.
Beginning in February 2011, Denesha volunteered
as a clinic aide, visiting patients receiving chemotherapy
and providing them with resources and small amenities.
She has changed positions and now works in the surgery
waiting area giving updates to families from the surgeons
and from the recovery room.
“I love it,” she says. “I hate to miss my volunteer
day and I do everything I can to be there. I’ve met so
many people doing this and I’ve grown a lot from this
experience.”
“Denesha is a wonderful example of our college
student volunteer program,” says Jackson. “We can count
on her to be there for her volunteer shift.
“Because school traditionally halts during the summer,
there are many out-of-state and in-state applicants for that
time period,” Jackson says. “January or February is when
these students should contact us. Often, they can attend
the required volunteer orientation during the spring.”
For any college students able to work on a semesterbased schedule, Jackson recommends they also contact
Volunteer Services several months before the desired
semester. The timeline for this year can be found on the
it’s website, www.mdanderson.org/volunteers.
Interested students follow a similar procedure to
those applying to the standard volunteer program. The
first step is to complete the volunteer interest form found
online at www.mdanderson.org/volunteerinterest. You
will be contacted by a Volunteer Services’ staff member if
there is an opening that matches your interests, skill and
availability. From that point, you will be asked to attend a
volunteer interview, complete an application and schedule
a placement interview.
Other than the experience and knowledge gained from
the volunteer assignment itself, other benefits include a
letter of recommendation after completing 60 hours, free
parking while volunteering and the gain of valuable skills.
For more information or questions, contact Volunteer
Services at [email protected] or call
713-792-5646.
page 7
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PA I D
Houston, Texas
Permit No. 7052
The University of Texas
MD Anderson Cancer Center
Volunteer Services
Unit 115/163100/30/102284/55028/41
1515 Holcombe
Houston Texas 77030-3800
Volunteer Continuing
Education Events
Winter 2013
Ongoing Opportunities
MD Anderson’s Approach to
National Drug Shortages
Wednesday, Feb. 13, 10-11:30 a.m.,
Duncan Building, Floor 8, Conference
Room 8
Emotional Patients and Families
Interactive Workshop
Friday, March 1, 8:30-11:30 a.m.
Limited attendance of 15 volunteers
for this workshop; advance registration
required by calling 713-792-7180 or
emailing [email protected].
Finding Free and Reliable Health
Care Information with a tour of
The Learning Center
Wednesday, March 6, 6-8 p.m.,
The Learning Center Classroom, Main
Building, Floor 4
PIKNIC
PIKNIC (Partners in Knowledge, News
In Cancer) ― an educational forum to
learn about issues, needs and concerns
relevant to the cancer experience.
Typically held at the Integrative Medicine
Center, Mays Clinic, ACB2.1041. First
and third Tuesdays and third Thursday
of the month, noon-1 p.m.; call 713792-2553 for topic schedule. Check
regional care center schedules for these
presentations.
The Patient Connection Workshop
Tuesday, Feb. 5, 6-8:30 p.m.
Thursday, March 7, 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Tuesday, March 19, 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
All workshops will be conducted at Main
Building, Floor 11
What’s New Walking Tour
Monday, Jan. 28, 10 a.m.-noon
Tuesday, Feb. 12, noon-2 p.m.
Wednesday, March 20, 6-7:30 p.m.
Reserve your place by emailing
[email protected] or calling
713-792-7180.
I*CARE (Interpersonal
Communication and Relationship
Enhancement) Video Series
Receive continuing education credit by
viewing a series of videos developed for
MD Anderson patients and families as
part of the I*CARE program. The videos
may be viewed on your own computer.
To register and for more information
contact Mary Donnelly Jackson, 713792-3792, [email protected].
Contact Volunteer Services, 713-7927180 or volunteering@mdanderson.
org to make a reservation. Attending
any of these events meets your annual
continuing education requirement.