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★
★
★ Salute to ★
★ ★ Volunteers ★ ★

JOE DIMAGGIO CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL CATHOLIC HOSPICE

Jessica Amanambu Nilda Puchades

Jessica Amanambu has spent more than 720 hours vol- After 45 years of marriage, Nilda Puchades’ husband
unteering within the Memorial Healthcare System, but passed away at the Hospice in St. Catherine’s West. She
that’s nothing compared to the time she ultimately wants is so grateful to the team that took care of him during
to spend at hospitals. The teenager, a student at Miami his stay that she chose the same Catholic Hospice unit
Lakes Educational Center, has plans to pursue a career in to volunteer. “I like to be able to help the family mem-
medicine as a cardiothoracic surgeon. bers to accept the situation in which they’re in. Many
Amanambu currently works with nurses, patient care are initially in denial, which is to be expected. The best
assistants, and secretaries at Memorial Regional Hospital help is from someone that has been in their place. My
and serves on the Youth Advisory Council at Joe DiMaggio husband died young, at 67- only a year after the diag-
Children’s Hospital. The teens plan events for kids and sit nosis. I identify with the wives, which at our age, our
in on meetings that focus on the expansion of the children’s hospital to eight floors. parents are usually gone, and the children are grown. I lost it all and this has helped
Amanambu was one of the winners of the 2018 Robert Groeninger Memorial Regional me to rebuild my life,” are the words that Nilda, our 3-time awardee of Volunteer of
Hospital Volunteer Teen Scholarship. She is hoping to use the award dollars at the Year, uses to describe why she drives from Miami Shores to St. Catherine’s West to
Northeastern University, her preferred first stop in a college career she hopes will land help the families of the patient’s through this difficult time.
her in the operating room.
Maria de las Mercedes Arias
Marteen Longo
“I really love being a volunteer and I feel that my life
Many people don’t know there is a Family Resource Center has worth here, because I can be helpful to other people.
(also known as a library) at Joe DiMaggio Children’s The atmosphere in Catholic Hospice is of compassion
Hospital. Even fewer know that organizing the materials and that is what is the most valuable to me,” are the
within it for more than two years has been the pet project of words that Maria de las Mercedes Arias, better known as
volunteer Marteen Longo. Mercy, uses to express how she feels about her volun-
Longo, who spent 35 years, some of it as a media specialist, teerism. She came from Cuba to Miami in December of
in the Miami-Dade public school system, is known as the 2015 and has been with Catholic Hospice since this
“book lady” by parents and kids who use the resource center. January. At the age of 40 along with her sister, they
“I’m there is someone wants to talk, have a cookie, or cup of became the sole caretakers to their mom, Pilar, for 22
coffee. If I can use the skills I have to offer to relieve some of years. Mercy learned that caring with Love and Compassion are of the most impor-
their stress, we’ll all be better for the interaction.” tance. As she has gotten to know who Catholic Hospice is, and the patient’s that we
Longo volunteers at the children’s hospital one day a week help, Mercy has felt deep gratitude in knowing that what her sister and she did for
and has found her niche in the resource center after previous- their mom just by instinct were the right things to do.
ly helping on the 3rd and 4th floors.
MARTIN HEALTH SYSTEM
MEMORIAL MANOR
Carolyn Michaud
Jana Thomas
Soon after joining the Martin Health Auxiliary in
2006, Carolyn Michaud became the coordinator of the
For nearly three decades, Jana Thomas has been bring-
ing therapy dogs to Memorial Manor. She estimates 20 Martin Health Thrift Shop which is located in Stuart.
dogs have volunteered alongside her during that time, She has held for the position for nearly 12 years, and
providing unconditional love to elderly clients receiving spends close to 25 hours a week in the store.
long-term care and short-term rehabilitative services. A retired nurse, this is the second foray into retail
“Many of the permanent residents look forward to see- management for Michaud. She had previously co-man-
ing my dogs on Wednesdays,” said Thomas, a member aged a thrift store in New Jersey that benefited a local
and tester/observer for the Alliance of Therapy Dogs. charity.
Since taking over the Martin Health Thrift Shop,
“Petting an animal is therapeutic and there have been Michaud has helped significantly increase the store’s revenues, which support the
patients previously unwilling or unable to move their
arms that reached out to my dogs when they entered the Auxiliary’s fundraising efforts.
She has been joined in this effort by her husband, Bill Michaud, former president
room.” of the Martin Health Auxiliary. He oversees the shop’s EBay sales while also helping
Thomas’ special brand of pet medicine has been practiced by at least 50 dogs through-
out Memorial Healthcare System and she started the therapy programs at Memorial with paperwork and cleaning and prepping items for sale.
Both are members of the Stuart Rotary Club and enjoy meeting people and getting
Hospital West and Memorial Hospital Miramar. Thomas says any breed of dog can be
trained for therapy, as long as it likes people, is comfortable sitting without getting dis- to know their steady customers.
tracted, and, most importantly, has a gentle temperament. “We’ll keep doing this until we can’t anymore,” Carolyn Michaud said.

Pinkie Graham Roland Gaudreau

After retiring from a long career at General Motors,
Spreading the word of the Lord to those interested in
hearing it has been the motivation that’s kept Pinkie Roland Gaudreau of Port St. Lucie knew he couldn’t sit
Graham returning to Memorial Manor twice a month for still for long. While he swims and works out in the gym,
the past 26 years. “We read scripture from the Bible and Gaudreau needed to do more. So, 11 years ago he started
offer prayer to the residents who would like for my team volunteering.
to share with them. It’s a pleasure to do and uplifting for Gaudreau joined the Martin Health Auxiliary where he
the clients,” said Graham, a member of Jesus People serves as chairman of the courtesy cart drivers for the
Ministries Church International. health care system’s St. Lucie West location. Gaudreau
It’s those receiving long-term care that Graham has most coordinates the schedule for six drivers. He can be found
connected with, especially individuals that don’t have fam- driving the cart every Monday morning.
He also works one day a week as a Citizen on Patrol volunteer for the Martin
ily. She says her volunteer time is rewarding, fun, and the best way she knows to give County Sheriff Department. Gaudreau patrols the Hutchinson Island beaches along
back in the community. “Both the patients and I get joy and warmth from the interaction.
Sometimes it’s just letting them know there’s someone who cares.” the ocean and Indian River Lagoon.
“I love helping people,” he said. “I meet people from all walks of life and each of
Graham, a Pembroke Pines resident, is joined on the JPMCI team by Dorothy Brown
and Jackie Johnson. them has a story to tell. I really enjoy that.”

South Florida Hospital News southfloridahospitalnews.com April 2018 25