Bobbye Jean Kresge has seen gunshot wound victims, transplant recipients and car accident victims. She’s not a doctor or a nurse, but as a volunteer, she’s an integral part of the Intensive Care Unit at Baylor University Medical Center.
Since 1985, Kresge has volunteered almost 33,000 hours at the hospital. And when the neighborhood resident isn’t comforting families in the ICU, she’s often at home making holiday gifts for patients or planning meetings for the volunteer advisory board.
In the ICU, Kresge and other volunteers serve as liaisons between the families and the medical staff. Volunteers answer questions, check on patients, serve coffee and provide comfort and support to those facing difficult situations.
“The clinical staff can concentrate on the patient knowing anxious family members are being cared for by Bobbye Jean,” says Janet Winkler, volunteer coordinator for Baylor University Medical Center.
Kresge is serving her third term as president of Baylor’s volunteer advisory board. She and fellow volunteer Katie Bratcher also spend many hours creating holiday cards for patient trays. They design and color – by hand – 700 cards for the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Winkler says this level of commitment makes Kresge a remarkable volunteer. Kresge says she just enjoys being involved.
“When you come home at the end of the day, even if you’ve just helped one person, you know you’ve accomplished something,” Kresge says.
Winkler says the hospital has a variety of volunteer opportunities, from assisting guests at the concierge desk to helping families in the ICU waiting room.
For information about volunteering at Baylor, call Janet Winkler at 214-820-2497. For information about other volunteer opportunities, call the Volunteer Center of Dallas County at 214-826-6767.
