By HOI ABC
NORMAL (Heart of Illinois ABC) – A program at Carle BroMenn Medical Center is giving patients a hand to hold in their final moments.
‘No One Dies Alone’ is a program returning after taking a pandemic hiatus during the pandemic. The idea originally came to life in 2019, hospital staff at a Carle BroMenn saw a need. Many took part in rotations tending to those on the verge of death, becoming company in a patients’ final moments. So they created a system that supports them, and their families, through the process.
“What I thought would be kind of an enormous feat was not so much because people saw how important it was,” says Theresa Prosser, Director of Medical Surgical Services at Carle.
‘No One Dies Alone,’ also referred to as ‘NODA,’ is a volunteer-based program. No medical experience is required, with participants from many backgrounds taking part. All Carle requires is several orientation and training sessions to prepare them for what’s to come.
“That volunteer will have that kind of information to go into the room, to have meaning,’ says Rev. Christine McNeal, Senior Staff Chaplain and co-organizer.
While family or friends are away or unable to be next to their loved one, volunteers fill the void. Each volunteer provides a schedule of days and times that work best for them. If a need arises, the hospital will reach out to them to ask if they are able to visit. Upon arrival, they speak to patients about things they enjoy or want to discuss, even taking details as personal as faith into account.
“I was able to talk with them, kind of walk through them, tell them i was gonna hold their hand,” says volunteer Alana Reimer, ”letting them know I would be there with them through the whole experience.”
The concept is not an entirely new idea. Other hospitals in the area, including others in the Carle system and OSF St. Francis, offer the program or ones similar to it. But the return at BroMenn means something special for those involved.
When asked what it’s like to guide someone to the end, organizers say it’s hard to put into words.
“Being there at a time of need, to support someone going through one of the most difficult times of a person’s journey and this process, it’s very rewarding,” adds Reimer.
It’s not easy work, and emotions can take their toll through the process. But the response from both volunteers and the families of patients is overwhelmingly positive. It’s something McNeal encourages Bloomington/Normal residents to consider, if they feel called to it.
“This is really something special to be a part of.”
For more information about volunteer opportunities with the No One Dies Alone program, or to learn about one of more than 55 other volunteer needs at Carle BroMenn Medical Center, you can contact Sue Sebring at (309) 268-5397 or visit Get Involved – Browse Volunteering Opportunities | Carle.org.
