Volunteers are critical to our vision of a world class health care system, and as National Volunteer Week comes to a close, we wanted to say thank you for everything you do for the hospital and our community.

Throughout the week, we shared the stories of John, Justin, Ed and Joyce, four of our incredible volunteers at Grand River Hospital. Learn all about their different volunteer roles, why they got involved and continue to volunteer in support of the Hospital, and how they make a big difference just by volunteering!

Joyce Bell was Grand River Regional Cancer Centre’s very first volunteer when it opened in 2004.

“I had applied to Grand River Regional Cancer Centre before the building was completed,” Joyce recalled. “I did tours for the public of the Cancer Centre before it officially opened and worked the first shift of the Monday it opened.”

Ed Cober and his wife have been coming to Grand River Hospital for more than a decade. Ed’s wife is a Kidney Care patient who regularly receives dialysis at the Hospital, a procedure that helps patients by cleaning their blood when their kidneys no longer can. Patients typically require dialysis three times every week, with each treatment lasting for about four hours—Ed and wife have been coming to Grand River Hospital on a regular basis since 2011.

Meet Justin Hammond, a Grand River Hospital volunteer who has taken on numerous roles throughout the Hospital. Since he began volunteering in January 2018, Justin has volunteered in the Emergency Department, with the Hospital Elder Life Program (HELP), as an Information and Portering volunteer, with Grand Venture (the Foundation’s online shop in support of the Hospital), and by giving hospital tours for new volunteers and employees.

John Lindsay has a personal connection to Grand River Hospital that led him to become a volunteer.

“As a former Grand River Hospital patient, I felt a great desire to give back to both the Hospital and the community,” John told us.

Join us in celebrating our incredible team of volunteers this National Volunteer Week! As generous people from our everyday lives—parents, siblings, neighbours and friends—who give their time to make an extraordinary difference, volunteers are essential to supporting the health and wellness of our community.