While most UVA students leave Grounds after final exams in the spring, many Madison House volunteers continue to serve the Charlottesville community. In fact, a lucky 120 undergraduate students are able to volunteer for Health and Medical Services programs with UVA Health during the summer months through Madison House.

“UVA Health is a robust operation that draws a diverse patient population from across Virginia, so our role as volunteers is to play an active part in every patient's healthcare experience, helping to foster an environment of care and compassion for every patient that walks through the door,” says Macy Lindblom, Summer Health and Medical Services Head Program Director (HPD).

Summer programs provide all kinds of experiences for Madison House Volunteers, including placements with the Emergency Department, Pediatrics, Cancer Center, Rounding with Heart, and Outpatient Surgery, to name a few.

Macy asks, “Do you play an instrument? Volunteer with our Harmonies for Healing unit, which aims to spread warmth through music. Do you speak a second language? Volunteer with our Spanish Patient Ambassador unit to assist with non-medical language translation.”

Madison House is currently in the process of onboarding for these summer programs, and placements are filled on a first come, first served basis. Interested students should view the full onboarding schedule on the Madison House website.

Macy explains, “The basic timeline [for recruitment and placement] includes attending virtual mandatory orientation and annual training sessions, and then attending in-person signups at Madison House, during which time they can review available units and sign up for a shift.”

While many of the summer placements are a continuation of programs that happen during the school year, the volunteering commitment does reflect the shorter timeline of summer and requires a greater weekly time commitment. Each volunteer is expected to work two three-hour shifts per week over the course of at least nine weeks. A special exception to this is Emergency Department volunteers, who must commit to four three-hour shifts per week.

*Macy Lindblom, Head Program Director for Health and Medical Services Summer Programs and Madison House Board of Directors Student Representative*

“This heightened commitment really allows volunteers to become familiar and comfortable within their units,” says Macy.

This summer, Macy hopes that volunteers will not only build strong relationships with their patients and the community they serve, but also with each other. She elaborates, saying, “Beyond volunteering, Charlottesville in the summer has so much to offer. One thing we are hoping to implement this summer is social events amongst the Medical Services community. With hikes, picnics, and more, I am hopeful that these activities will foster community among our organization that extends beyond the walls of the hospital.”

In addition to serving as an HPD, Macy is one of five student representatives on the Madison House Board of Directors. Student board members are full voting members of the board of directors and help provide governance and set strategy for the organization. In her role as board member, Macy “serve[s] as a student voice by providing overarching perspective and ideas pertaining to all Madison House programs.” For Macy, helping Madison House continue to build capacity to expand student volunteer opportunities is a priority. She is eager to have as many interested students serving the community as possible.

“Volunteerism is truly something so special,” says Macy, “because while we, as volunteers, have the incredible opportunity to impact the lives of others, we in turn gain so much from those we serve, learning from their unique experiences and broadening our perspective of the world.”

Majoring in Latin American Health in the United States with concentrations in Biology, Spanish, Public Policy & Leadership, Macy ultimately hopes to become a physician, which she believes is “a profession where service truly lies at the core”.

Throughout her time at Madison House, Macy has had plenty of experience helping patients and forming meaningful bonds with them. She says that while every patient interaction is special, there is one encounter that sticks out in her memory. She recalls knocking lightly on a young bedridden girl’s door. Upon entering the room, Macy eagerly proposed that they play a board game, read a book, or paint a picture together. She was surprised what happened next.

Macy shares that the young patient was initially apprehensive, but that the idea of painting piqued her interest. Rather than painting a picture, however, the young girl had a better idea—to paint Macy’s nails and give her a makeover. “I left the hospital that day with nails chaotically coated in every color of the rainbow, and I kept the polish on for multiple days after,” Macy recalls fondly.

If you are a UVA student who is interested in making a meaningful impact through health and medical services programs at Madison House, reach out to Macy Lindblom before the summer recruitment process wraps up!

By Cecilia Murphy