Print 
Share 
Text 
To reset, hold the Ctrl key, then press 0.
Our volunteers provide an array of important services, from designing new technology to inspiring the next generation of health-care workers. Whatever their role, all of our volunteers are working to enhance quality of care for patients and their families. In honour of this year’s National Volunteer Week, we’re spotlighting some of our volunteers who have given us the invaluable gift of their time and dedication.
Bao-Anh Vuong has been volunteering with The Ottawa Hospital since high school. Now, 10 years later, she is a nurse at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute, and part of a team of experienced volunteers who recruit and onboard new volunteers.
“I enjoy recruiting new volunteers who remind me of myself back when I was a nursing student,” she says. “I want to help give them experience and help them pursue their dreams.”
What does Bao-Anh look for in a volunteer? “I like to see that one of their main values is wanting to help others, wanting to give back to their community.”
Before the pandemic, volunteer interviews and onboarding were conducted in person at the hospital, but the new virtual process has empowered Bao-Anh and her team to reach more applicants. The hospital has also been able to recruit volunteers from outside Ottawa—and even outside Canada.
“Someone in the U.S. would like to volunteer to play music to patients from his home,” she explains. “I think it’s interesting that we’re able to reach people like that.”
For Bao-Anh, the most rewarding part about her role is seeing where these volunteers have ended up. “I’ve met so many future doctors. It’s rewarding to see that I’ve been part of the journey of their successful careers.”
Feeling inspired?
We are re-building our volunteer services slowly and will open a few opportunities every few months, so please check the website regularly for updates. We look forward to welcoming our community back into the hospital to help improve the patient experience! Visit our volunteer page for more information.
Meet more of our inspiring volunteers
- Med school hopeful Anne-Marie helps patients navigate hospital COVID protocols
- Claude serves coffee and companionship at the Rehabilitation Centre
- Joanna helps guide chemotherapy patients through uncertain times
- Jocelyn inspires the next generation of health-care workers through virtual co-op program
- ‘I got discharged, and I never really left’: Former patient Maxime volunteers his coding skills
Support patient care and research at
The Ottawa Hospital
You might also like…
From survivor to supporter: Peer volunteers bring hope to patients recovering from stroke
Drawing on their own lived experiences as stroke survivors or caregivers, volunteers with March of Dimes Canada’s After Stroke Hospital Peer Connections program offer emotional support to those just beginning their recovery journey. Discover the difference they’re making and learn about how you can request support for a loved one — or become a beacon of hope yourself.
February is Black History Month
Five members of The Ottawa Hospital’s Black community reflect on what this month means to them, their heritage and the importance of building a truly equitable health care system.
The place to be: The Ottawa Hospital recognized as one of Canada’s most admired corporate cultures
The Ottawa Hospital (TOH) has been named one of Canada’s most admired corporate cultures. Guided by compassion and commitment to patient care, TOH has developed a workplace culture that inspires confidence and trust in our employees, patients and family members.
2SLGBTQIA+ care at The Ottawa Hospital: A helpful guide
The Ottawa Hospital offers an array of services and resources to help meet the specific care needs of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community — including a provincial-first gender-affirming surgery clinic, a 24/7 care program for survivors of sexual assault and intimate partner violence, and a specialty clinic for medically complex patients seeking help on their transition journeys.
“It’s about giving them hope and purpose”: Ottawa Inner City Health’s Block Leaders program marks one year serving the community
Seven days a week, Block Leaders head out into the ByWard Market to help fellow members of their community who are unhoused or use drugs. They provide support to people in distress, respond to overdoses and even clean their neighbourhood — all with the goal of creating a safer and healthier community for everyone.
A volunteer program that taps into the power of music
Studies have shown that music can benefit the body, mind, relationships and community. Musical Moments is a program where volunteers play live music to support positive outcomes for patients, visitors and staff.