It s important to get out of our boxes and see the rest of the world. John F. Kennedy Buffey knows what it means to overcome adversity. In high school I would ve been voted least likely to succeed, said John. Having had a tough beginning, I felt fearful and wounded. By the time I graduated from high school, I could barely read or write, and I had no purpose or goals in life. Finding strength through his Christian faith, John now helps others through their most challenging moments. Besides being a File Clerk here at Kaiser Permanente, he is a pastor and a volunteer chaplain with the Petaluma Police Department where his work includes grief counseling and notifying a family of the loss of a loved one. John F. Kennedy Buffey We re the liaison between the police and victims, John explained about his role as chaplain. We try to bring stability, hope and comfort to people in difficult times. John gives so much of himself to the organization and the community, said John s manager, Outpatient Medical Records Assistant Supervisor Sontos Hayes. He s truly awesome! John is also active in Serve International, a Christian organization that offers humanitarian aid in Latin America. Service teams provide medical care, dental care, and educational programs for children there. People there will walk six hours just to be seen by a doctor, said John, who credits his outreach activities with making him a positive person. You witness things like that, and you come back changed.
Kathy Place, RN I love helping girls believe in themselves, said Kathy Place, RN, an OB/GYN Charge Nurse at Kaiser Permanente. As a young girl growing up in a divorced family in the 1950s, Kathy felt stigmatized. There was little opportunity for girls who couldn t afford dancing or music lessons to build their confidence, and girls didn t play on sports teams like they do now, Kathy noted. I ve known since I was five years old that I wanted to be a nurse. At the time, two kind Brownie scout leaders gave Kathy the encouragement she needed to believe in her own ability. Although times have changed, Kathy knows first-hand that girls still need role models, and she makes sure that she s there for them. She has been a nurse for more than 30 years now, and she especially encourages her younger patients. As a grandmother of three, she also passes along her wisdom to the youngsters in her own family. And she s still a Girl Scout, giving to girls the way the Brownie leaders gave to her. She has a wonderful mothering way, especially with our teens, said Kathy s manager Linda Troutfetter, RN, OB/GYN Manager. Her caring shines through all aspects of her work. It does take a village to raise a child, said Kathy. Someone took time for me and it made a big difference. I just want to give that back.
Seniors are the wise ones; they ve changed my life for the better. I love the elderly, said Mary Patane, Physical Therapist at Kaiser Permanente. It is a joy to experience their sense of humor. They say whatever is on their minds. They don t hold back. Every Monday, Mary and a friend visit elderly and infirm patients in nearby care homes. They sing, they read, they listen, and they hug. And the residents, some of whom have no other visitors, cherish their company. Big smiles and warm hugs tell Mary s heart these patients are eager for love and attention. Mary Patane, PT It was working at a convalescent home when she was sixteen that inspired Mary to become a physical therapist. The elderly appealed to her even then. They were so funny and had led such fascinating lives, said Mary. In our culture we tend not to see them. In other cultures, the elders are put on pedestals because they re the wise ones. Mary s a good Samaritan. Lots of people do things for their own egos, but she shuns attention, said her Physical Therapy Department Manager, Chris McAdam, PT. Mary urges everyone to remember their elderly neighbors and relatives. She reminds us of the importance of human contact. A hug can make someone s day, she said. Touch is so healing. Doing this work has changed my life for the better.
Bob Kiefer A 28-year veteran at Kaiser Permanente, Bob Kiefer is a Chief Engineer renowned for his ability to fix almost anything. And it shows. As supervisor of operation, maintenance, and repair, he keeps things humming. I want patients and staff to come to a building where things look nice and run smoothly, said Bob. These talents, along with a penchant for safety, serve him well elsewhere in his life. In 1985, Bob learned from news reports on television that a major earthquake had devastated the area in and around Mexico City. He was so moved that he volunteered to help rebuild a community hospital in Lázaro Cárdenas, one of the cities affected by the quake. That was his first international mission. Since then, Bob has volunteered in Mexico on numerous occasions and continues to do so. Twice a year he offers his skills to poor communities in Tijuana through the non-denominational, non-profit organization Esperanza, which helps poor families build homes. I can t save the world, but I can help one family build a house. Bob always puts others ahead of himself, said his manager Carry Wicht, Facility Services Manager. He is consistently wonderful. There is such poverty in Mexico, said Bob. Families sometimes save for years to buy land and materials, and we help them build houses. They get their dream a house. I get the satisfaction of seeing their smiles.
In today s world community, we re all called to contribute to others in need. Even though he has no paid employees and his office is his dining room table, John Freedman, MD, Chief Anesthesiologist at Kaiser Permanente, has made a worldwide impact with his non-profit Medical Exchange International (MEI). Founded by Dr. Freedman in 1999, this small charitable organization donates medical education material as well as medical supplies and equipment to countries in need. During his visits to developing countries as a medical volunteer, Dr. Freedman noticed the impracticality of large (though well-intended) donations by some organizations. In Africa, you see a $1 million operating room go unused because no one knows how to maintain it, said Dr. Freedman. Smaller items for which there is a clear need are frequently of greater service. For instance, at the National Oncology Institute in Cuba, doctors in the pediatric ward were unable to administer drugs requiring a precise dosage because they lacked proper tubing for their intravenous infusion pumps. This deficiency was crippling. MEI obtained and donated the correct tubing. By asking hospitals and clinics about their specific needs and working to fill them, the organization plays a crucial role in saving lives. John Freedman, MD Dr. Freedman has also helped raise funds for pediatric cataract surgery in Vietnam, treated meningitis in Brazil, and taught in Zambia and Tanzania. He has introduced many medical professionals to MEI s projects. To be able to involve others who also get satisfaction from this work is wonderful.