During National Volunteer Week, Tower Health honors the many individuals who selflessly donate their time and talent to help the health system fulfill its mission of service to patients and the community. Tower Health volunteers play a critical role throughout the organization by serving staff, patients, and visitors in a wide variety of roles. Volunteers add a special dimension of personal service and care, and provide hope and healing to patients and their loved ones.
“Our volunteers make a difference in the lives of our patients and team members,” said P. Sue Perrotty, president and CEO of Tower Health. “They are an important part of our team and I thank them for their support. Their desire to help others is admirable, and it is an honor to recognize their efforts during ‘National Volunteer Week’ and every week. I also want to recognize the community volunteers who serve on the Tower Health Board of Directors, our hospitals’ boards, and the Reading Hospital Foundation Board. I greatly appreciate their leadership and support of our mission.”
In 2022, Tower Health had a total of 348 volunteers who donated 27,328.5 hours of service. Reading Hospital had 169 volunteers who offered 14,306.50 hours of service. At Phoenixville Hospital, 66 volunteers donated a total of 5,205 hours. Fifty volunteers at Pottstown Hospital donated 5,382 hours. St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children benefited from 63 volunteers who donated 7,285 hours.
Ms. Perrotty also shared, “Many of our volunteer programs were on hold during COVID-19 and are just now returning to pre-pandemic levels. Our teams are overwhelmed with gratitude for both the number of people returning to their roles, and for new volunteers who are interested in joining our volunteer teams.”
All Tower Health hospitals have volunteer opportunities available for everyone, including retirees, students, and working professionals, with positions providing shifts available on weekdays, evenings, and weekends. Volunteers work throughout the hospital; some work directly with patients and their families, while others work in departments that help support patient care behind the scenes. Volunteers may assist with greeting visitors, delivering mail, assisting in hospital departments, performing interdepartmental errands, knitting hats for newborns, or reading to patients.
The rewards of volunteering are endless, not only for those served but also for the volunteers themselves. Volunteering has been shown to improve one's physical and mental health, quality, and longevity of life, and can help foster a deeper connection with the community.
Learn more about volunteering at:
St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children
About Tower Health
Tower Health is a regional integrated healthcare system that offers compassionate, high quality, leading edge healthcare and wellness services to communities in Berks, Chester, Montgomery, and Philadelphia Counties. With approximately 11,500 employees, Tower Health consists of Reading Hospital in West Reading; Phoenixville Hospital in Phoenixville; Pottstown Hospital in Pottstown; and St. Christopher's Hospital for Children in Philadelphia, in partnership with Drexel University. Tower Health is strongly committed to academic medicine and training, including multiple residency and fellowship programs, the Drexel University College of Medicine at Tower Health, and the Reading Hospital School of Health Sciences in West Reading. The system also includes Reading Hospital Rehabilitation at Wyomissing; home healthcare provided by Tower Health at Home; TowerDirect ambulance and emergency response; Tower Health Medical Group; Tower Health Providers, our clinically integrated network; and 25 Tower Health Urgent Care facilities across our service area. For more information, visit towerhealth.org.