August 13, 2002

Genesis Seeks Volunteers For Befriender Program

Are you a good listener? Would you like to use your own life experiences to help support others? If so, Genesis Medical Center's Spiritual Care Department wants you for our Befriender program. A Befriender is a hospital volunteer who listens and provides spiritual ministry to people in times of illness or grief. 

This lay ministry program has been successfully training volunteers for 36 years. Volunteers will go through a training period that emphasizes listening with particular sensitivity to the stories of grief, crisis and life review. Once their training is complete, Befrienders through the Genesis Spiritual Care offices on both hospital campuses, support patients and their families by listening to them either within the hospital, on an outpatient basis, or through the Genesis Grief Recovery Group. 

"A Befriender's goal is to be available to hear the stories and share the pain and the joys of those in need," says Chaplain Jeanne Olsen. "Patients who have the opportunity to talk about their experiences feel cared about, understood and view their hospital stay more positively. The Befriender training emphasizes listening with particular sensitivity to the stories of grief, crisis, and life review."

The Genesis Medical Center's Befrienders Program will hold an informational meeting on Tuesday, August 27, from 2:30-4:00 p.m., in the Lombard Room on Genesis Medical Center's West campus, 1401 West Central Park, Davenport. 

For more information about becoming a Befriender, call Chaplain Jeanne Olsen at Genesis Medical Center's Spiritual Care Department, at 563-421-1756.