“Volunteering at a Children’s Hospital During the Pandemic” by Madison Donnelly
Hi, everyone! My name is Madison Donnelly and I am currently a senior at CU Boulder. I am majoring in biochemistry and also minoring in philosophy. My career goals post-graduation are to be accepted into Medical School and to eventually find work as a medical assistant, hence my love for volunteering at hospitals!
At the beginning of the Fall 2020 semester, I was exploring ways of how I could safely volunteer at a hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic. Eventually, I noticed that you can apply to be a volunteer at Colorado Children’s Hospital by filling out an application via their website, here.
I believe that being a volunteer at a children’s hospital is not only about supporting the young patients, but also their families, who are equally struggling through difficult times. We, as volunteers, should strive to make the hospital feel welcoming; we must greet the kids with smiling faces, offer words of encouragement, and make meaningful actions to help the patients feel safe.
Colorado Children’s Hospital has many opportunities for volunteering. Valid locations in this area include Anschutz Medical Campus, Health Pavilion, North Campus, and South Campus. I currently work at the North Campus location because it is the closest children’s hospital to CU Boulder. As a volunteer, I work at the gift shop on the weekends; I assist families that come in looking for gifts for their family members who are, unfortunately, also patients at the hospital. Most patients’ family members that come into the gift shop have a common goal in mind: to help their beloved patient feel at home. Similarly, when I see child patients around the hospital (inside or outside the gift shop), my purpose as a volunteer is to make sure they feel seen and loved.
If you have the intention to be a light in a kid’s life, I recommend volunteering at Colorado Children’s Hospital. You won’t regret it!