THE UAB Comprehensive Cancer

Center is dedicated to providing excel-

lence in volunteer support to patients and

their families—as well as faculty, staff and

community partners—with care, integrity

and compassion. Volunteer opportunities at

the center span the spectrum from working

directly with patients to assisting staff with

administrative duties to helping with spe-

cial events, fundraisers and holiday giving.

“Our goal is to provide innovative,

effective volunteer support services dedi-

cated to improving the quality of life of

cancer patients,” says Callie Dunaway,

manager of volunteer relations at the

Cancer Center. “We work with each vol-

unteer to train them and place them in the

area where they’re most comfortable.”

n Care and comfort volunteers provide a

warm and welcoming presence for patients

and their families in oncology treatment

areas and attend to patients’ comfort needs

by providing refreshments and friendly

conversation.

n Clinic Ambassadors provide support,

education and advocacy for patients and

families. They also are equipped to answer

many questions about the treatment process

while helping patients and families navigate

the UAB system.

n Courage Companions is a free program

that provides one-on-one emotional sup-

port to help newly diagnosed patients cope

throughout their cancer experience. Over the

phone and online, volunteers are able to assist

with the physical, emotional and spiritual

aspects of a cancer diagnosis. In most cases,

Courage Companions volunteers have experi-

enced the same type of cancer, under similar

circumstances, as the people they are helping.

n Special event volunteers help the

Cancer Center’s Office of Development

and Community Relations with the fund-

raising efforts and events that are instru-

mental in providing support for research

and patient services.

n Administrative support volunteers help

lighten the workload for health-care profes-

sionals by providing assistance such as pre-

paring documents and spreadsheets, organiz-

ing files, making copies and preparing new-

patient packets. They also greet patients and

accompany them to treatment rooms to help

them navigate in an unfamiliar environment.

20 U A B C O M P R E H E N S I V E C A N C E R C E N T E R

VOLUNTEERING AT THE UAB COMPREHENSIVE CANCER CENTER

B Y H E A T H E R W A T T S

To volunteer, or to learn more, call (205) 996-5364 or e-mail volunteer@ccc.uab.edu. 

throughHealing Helping

giving back

“The best thing is just doing the

Christian mission and helping others,”

says Cancer Center volunteer Tony

Moore.

Mr. Moore began volunteering

at UAB four years ago through the

hospital auxiliary. During that time

he became friends with volunteer coor-

dinator Callie Dunaway, who would

ultimately join the Cancer Center to

help launch its ambassador volunteer

program. “I like to say she ‘hired me’

to be a volunteer,” Mr. Moore says.

Mr. Moore isn’t just a Cancer

Center volunteer—he’s also a patient.

He says his current treatment for lym-

phoma gives him a unique perspective

when dealing with patients. “I’m prob-

ably more compassionate and under-

standing for what their needs would be,

since I’ve been here and I’m doing it,”

he says. “It just makes it a little easier

to make them feel more comfortable.”

VOLUNTEER PROFILE

Tony Moore