Mike and Patricia Doubleday, Volunteers and Donors

 

“When my wife Patricia and I heard Dr. Devlin and other physicians in Neuroscience describe their plan to raise the level of care for stroke patients, do amazing brain surgeries, and advance research on Alzheimer’s, we decided we wanted to be part of that work,” says volunteer Mike Doubleday. “This is huge!”

 

The Doubledays have made a three-year pledge to the Stroke and Neuroscience Center, which will have the most advanced technology and expertise available to treat and research brain disorders.  Having seen first-hand the devastating effects of stroke and Alzheimer’s on patients and families, Patricia, recently retired assisted-living center manager, is truly excited to help make early intervention and treatment available.

 

In more than 12 years greeting and escorting patients and serving on the Family Advisor Council, Mike’s admiration for the hospital has grown. “Senior level management is outstanding, and the spirit of the hospital lifts me up. I couldn’t work for better people or trust them more.”

 

Mike and Patricia have also invested in scholarships for student volunteers. Mike trains students to be sure they know their way around and understand their role to ease the anxiety of patients “Some students are truly impressive. One who had dreams of being a neurosurgeon had no money for college worked for Patricia, and she encouraged him to volunteer.

 

“That’s when we decided to make an annual investment in the Scholarship Program. That young man qualified for scholarship assistance, and may one day come back to work for us.”

Mike’s estate plan includes ongoing funding for wheelchairs for volunteer use. “Currently, we have plenty of chairs to escort patients, but they often get left at nursing units,” “Chair”-man Mike explains. He comes in early for his Monday morning shift to retrieve wheelchairs and wants to be sure volunteers have enough in the future.

 

Mike and Patricia, now a volunteer as well, are extremely dedicated to their work. “We are so blessed by patients, hospital staff, and other volunteers, we don’t want to miss. Volunteering gives us the greatest feeling in the world, the best kind of compensation.”