Volunteers in the Spotlight are exemplary in their service to the Harborview community. They have made a significant difference to Harborview and the patients, families, and visitors we serve. Thanks to the following outstanding volunteers!
Jamie Mazon
Outpatient Pharmacy
Jamie wanted to broaden his experiences with others so he chose to volunteer. He chose Harborview, "because it provides the opportunity to interact with a diverse group of patients and staff."
Jamie has been volunteering in the Outpatient Pharmacy as a Pharmacy Assistant Volunteer. During a typical volunteer shift his main duties include managing the ScriptPro robot and finding prescriptions for patients.
He enjoys the company of his peers, as they have given him many insights into the field of pharmacy and applying to Pharmacy School. From interacting with the Harborview staff Jamie better understands what it takes to be a Pharmacist. Jamie appreciates “how helpful and nice the staff has been" throughout his volunteer experience.
The most rewarding aspect of volunteering for Jamie is knowing that all of his work in the Outpatient Pharmacy helps patients in need. He finds satisfaction in volunteering because he is acknowledged for the work he does, and is also helping to make someone's day better.
Aside from volunteering at Harborview, Jamie also enjoys playing Ultimate Frisbee and Frisbee Golf. He hopes to someday play in every Frisbee Golf course in the Northwest.
For Jamie, volunteering at Harborview is “better than Chocolate Cake” because “It's just as sweet, but without all the excess calories.”
Elana Manasse-Piha
Summer Teen Volunteer Program
Elana wanted to volunteer because she is very interested in biology. She chose Harborview because she believes in “free healthcare for everyone” and because she agrees deeply with Harborview’s message. She volunteered at Harborview with the Summer Teen Volunteer Program for two summers in a row.
As a teen volunteer she has had a variety of positions such as the Admitting and Information Desk, Recreational Therapy, the Burn Unit, the Medical Specialties Clinic, and Radiology Records. Her volunteer duties are varied; she can be found doing anything from shadowing staff during patient-care rounds, to digitizing films in Radiology. Her favorite part about volunteering at Harborview is getting to visit with patients and observe patient care. She has found that helping out where ever she is needed is greatly rewarding; by doing the less-glamorous duties, she is rewarded by knowing that staff are freed to do more important things.
Elana’s favorite memory of volunteering at Harborview was shadowing a staff member on their clinic duties. She observed a patient suffering from a drug and alcohol induced kidney failure. This experience allowed her to see first hand the negative effects of drinking and doing drugs. She thinks it sounds “cliché,” but feels it was her most memorable and important lesson learned at Harborview.
Not only is Elana a committed volunteer, she is also a student of academics and art. She enjoys spending time blowing glass and taking high-level art classes.
For Elana, volunteering at Harborview is even better than biology class because she can learn so much more about the human body by observation than by reading about it in a textbook.