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BWH is a place full of gifts – doctors, nurses and teams of clinicians help give the gift of life when they lead a sick patient to a healthy recovery. BWH helps give the gift of family to new parents, when they aid in the delivery of newborns. The gift of a future is given to individuals who seek organ transplants at BWH. But one special group of people give the greatest gift of all – themselves. They are BWH’s devoted team of volunteers, who contribute both hours and smiles to help the hospital advance its mission.
On Tuesday, May 7, the BWH community celebrated the gift of its volunteers at the annual Volunteer Recognition and Celebration event. The theme of this year’s event was the Olympic Spirit. Volunteers were honored for carrying the torch through BWH, bringing light, hope and tender care to patients and their families. BWH’s own Olympic torchbearers, Peter Libby, MD, John Jarcho, MD and Danalyn Adams Scharf, a former heart transplant patient at BWH, provided inspirational words about their role in spreading the Olympic Spirit, as they carried the torch through Boston en route to Salt Lake City.
“The energy and warmth our volunteers bring to this institution is what makes BWH such a special place,” said BWH President Gary Gottlieb, MD, MBA, who began volunteering at a hospital at age 14. “I am particularly honored tonight to have the opportunity to acknowledge the extraordinary service of Adolfine Seelig, our Volunteer of the Year, whose dedication to BWH is truly inspiring,” he added.
Adolfine Seeling has volunteered at BWH for 19 years and arrives at the hospital seven days a week full of energy and enthusiasm to help out in any way she can. Seelig has contributed thousands of hours of service to the Friends Gift Shop, Patient Library and the Bretholtz Center.
“Thank you all for bearing the torch of this wonderful hospital,” said Kris DeGraw Danna, director of Volunteer and Community Access Services, at the close of the presentation. “You serve a tremendous role at BWH, and we are all indebted to your dedication and the immeasurable impact you make on the lives of individuals every day.”