A Heart Full of Gratitude!

After Cindy lost both her father and mother, she couldn’t help but have a desire to pay it forward to both the place and people that cared so deeply for her entire family. Texas Health Presbyterian Dallas (THD) provided comfort in a time of need, and now, she does the same for others as a volunteer and a donor.

“My journey as a volunteer at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas (THD) started in February 2016 when my dad had a massive stroke and was rushed by paramedics to the emergency room at Texas Health Dallas.   

By God’s grace, he survived. And so, a series of almost endless interactions with hospital staff began. From neurologists to internists to speech therapists to nurses to technicians, each person we met performed their jobs with the utmost care not only for my Dad, but also for his family.  

The stress and strain of Dad’s health issues began to take a toll on my mother, and we had to frequent the ER with her often. Despite the wonderful care Dad received, he was never quite able to recover from the effects of his stroke, which was aggravated by the onset of lung cancer, and sadly, he passed away in 2018. Upon his passing and my retirement, I knew I wanted to, and needed to, give back to THD in honor of my dad, who also volunteered his service for other organizations. 

Shortly after I began my service at THD in 2019, Mom’s health took a significant turn for the worse. I spent many days and nights with her in the ER and sadly, mom’s many health issues ultimately claimed her life in the fall of that year. 

It is so easy for me to give back to the hospital in their honor and memory with both funds to support the work of the Foundation and with my time as a volunteer.  Very seldom does a week go by when I’m serving that there is not an opportunity to share a word of encouragement and comfort to someone in need.  And as I spend time at the hospital each week, I continue to have opportunity to interact with staff who daily offer the best of care with the utmost consideration to each person they meet.   These qualities are not found in every hospital and often aren’t found in our daily interactions in the world we live in.  What a gift it is for me to be able to spend eight hours each week giving back to THD and then return home after every shift with a heart full of gratitude for this great place that means so much to me.”