SBUH names Volunteers of the Year

Mary Briney, center, recipient of the 2013 Volunteer of the Year award from Stony Brook University Hospital, is congratulated by Reuven Pasternak, MD, Chief Executive Officer, SBUH, and Margaret Duffy, MS, RN, NEA-BC, Interim Chief Nursing Officer at SBUH.

STONY BROOK, N.Y., Aug. 9, 2013 –  Stony Brook University Hospital has named Mary Briney as Volunteer of the Year and Elizabeth O’Grady as Junior Volunteer of the Year for 2013 in recognition of their dedicated volunteer service to the hospital.
 
O’Grady and Briney were among those honored at the hospital’s annual Volunteer Recognition luncheon, held on July 17 at the Hilton Garden Inn. Volunteers received awards for reaching service milestones ranging from 100 to 14,500 hours of service.
 
Briney began her volunteer service in 2011 and has donated nearly 500 hours to Stony Brook University Cancer Center patients.

“At the Cancer Center, Mary coordinates the bi-weekly soup luncheon where she prepares warm bowls of soup to distribute to patients who are looking for a soothing snack while receiving their cancer treatments,” said Kathy Kress, Assistant Director of Volunteer Services at SBUH. “At the hospital, Mary acts as the ambassador for the inpatient Arts in Medicine program. She is always there to help out so that the patients get the most benefit from the activity. Mary is affable, empathetic and a genuine caring person. She is always in tune with the patients’ needs and always makes sure whatever is needed is done with care and accuracy.”
 
O’Grady, 18, was born at Stony Brook University Hospital and spent time as a newborn in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. She began volunteering at the hospital in 2012 and has donated more than 200 hours of service to patients at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital. The daughter of Jerome and Marian O’Grady, she is a rising senior at Ward Melville High School.
 

Elizabeth O’Grady, center, recipient of the 2013 Junior Volunteer of the Year award from Stony Brook University Hospital, is congratulated by Reuven Pasternak, MD, Chief Executive Officer, SBUH, and Margaret Duffy, MS, RN, NEA-BC, Interim Chief Nursing Officer at SBUH

“Elizabeth has been described as a very mature and responsible high school student,” Kress said. “In the playroom, she engages in various play activities with the patients and their siblings and goes out of her way to make sure that the children have whatever they need.  She has been known to stay after her shift to find a missing game or DVD that a child has asked for. Elizabeth is a pleasure to work with and a great addition to the Child Life department.”
 
Stony Brook University Hospital Volunteers provide help each year caring for patients and spend time with patients’ family members. Each year, more than 700 Junior and Senior Volunteers assist staff with the day-to-day work that contributes to a quality healthcare experience for patients and families.
 
Volunteer assignments are available seven days a week between 7:00 am and 8:30 pm. To learn more or to become a volunteer, please call (631) 444-2610 or visit stonybrookmedicine.edu.

 
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About Stony Brook University Hospital:

Stony Brook University Hospital (SBUH) is Long Island’s premier academic medical center. With 603 beds, SBUH serves as the region’s only tertiary care center and Level 1 Trauma Center, and is home to the Stony Brook Heart Institute, Stony Brook Cancer Center, Stony Brook Long Island Children’s Hospital, Stony Brook Neurosciences Institute, and Stony Brook Digestive Disorders Institute. SBUH also encompasses Suffolk County’s only Level 4 Regional Perinatal Center, state-designated AIDS Center, state-designated Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program, state-designated Burn Center, the Christopher Pendergast ALS Center of Excellence, and Kidney Transplant Center. It is home of the nation’s first Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis Center. To learn more, visit www.stonybrookmedicine.edu.

 

© Stony Brook University 2013