Mended Hearts volunteers honored with Governor's Award

A group of dedicated Bayhealth volunteers, the Eagle Wing of Mended Hearts Chapter 255, received one of the 2014 Governor’s Volunteer Awards.

The award was presented Oct. 14 during ceremonies at Dover Downs Convention Center.

Mended Hearts is a national organization with community-based members supporting people recovering from open heart surgery.

“At Bayhealth Medical Center, compassion is one of our core organizational values,” wrote Terry Schrenker, Bayhealth’s volunteer coordinator, in her nomination for the award.

“This value is demonstrated daily by the Mended Hearts volunteers that serve in the Cardio-Vascular Intensive Care Unit at Bayhealth, Kent General Hospital. Heart patients come to this department to undergo surgery for a variety of heart disorders. They are experiencing a traumatic time in their lives and are hurting physically and emotionally.

The Mended Hearts volunteers are heart surgery survivors themselves. Their personal experiences enable them to be empathetic and compassionate while interacting with the patients and their families. The volunteers share with the patients that they are heart surgery survivors and tell them they understand what they are going through,” she wrote.

Don Arvey of Smyrna is a member of the nine-member Mended Hearts team that visits hospitalized patients.

“The whole thing is a two-way street. It’s really nice to have someone to talk to. We don’t give medical advice and tell them about cardiac rehab. We tell them to look out for depression, and we give them a newsletter,” he said.

“Our motto is ‘It’s great to be alive and to help others.’ We live through that every day,” he added.

For more information, go to www.bayhealth.org or www.mendedhearts.org.