First Lt. Ryan McCarthy preps equipment for the diagnostic X-rays while volunteering at Sierra Providence Hospital. Courtesy photo.
Soldiers volunteer at Sierra Providence Medical Center
1st Lt. Ryan McCarthy, 1st Bn., 43rd ADA
A rare opportunity was afforded to the Soldiers of C Battery, 1st Battalion, 43rd Air Defense Artillery, when they were asked to participate in a program that supported the El Paso community with volunteers from Fort Bliss.
Sierra Providence Medical Center was one of many establishments looking for volunteers to help hospital staff. Some of these volunteer areas included the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, participation in the activity center for children who have cancer or have been hospitalized, and comforting children in the emergency department.
Most of the volunteer areas deal with children, but there are other departments that utilize the Soldiers to help with cardiac patients, radiology and the cancer resource center.
The volunteers had the opportunity to assist the nurses and technicians by transporting patients from their rooms to specialty units.
Some of the Soldiers also comforted patients before surgery and helped prepare them for treatment.
Because of the battery’s operational tempo, the hospital was only asking for three Soldiers to help out a few hours out of the week.
Fourteen Soldiers from C Battery raised their hands when asked to sacrifice their time for children who needed extra care, special attention or even just a play pal.
Of those 14 Soldiers, Spc. Kyle Christophel asked specifically to work in the NICU.
“My son was hospitalized and received care as a newborn in the NICU,” he said. “I know what it’s like to be a parent of a child who needs this special care and I want to help the families of those newborns. I want the parents to feel comfortable with someone who has been through what they’re going through.”
Blanca Harp, the volunteer coordinator for Sierra Providence, has spent much of her time ensuring the Soldiers are ready to help in different working environments.
She organized the hospital orientation for the volunteers, planned their training and scheduled their volunteer times during the work week as well as the weekends.
Harp worked diligently with Capt. Patricia Quigley, C Btry. commander, to ensure the Soldiers were able to facilitate time for both their jobs at Fort Bliss and at the hospital.
Another one of the volunteers, 2nd Lt. Bruce Brown, participated in the children’s activity center, where volunteers are able to read to the children, work on arts and crafts, play and, most importantly, be a friend.
Most of the children he plays with in the center have been admitted due to cancer.
“Working at Sierra Providence is a great opportunity to give back to the community,” he said. “Making young kids smile is the least we could to help them. Everyone deserves some cheer when they’ve been hospitalized.”