TUCSON, Ariz. — A new summer program is wrapping up for the year at Tucson Medical Center in midtown, giving some local teenagers a window from years past into the modern medical world.
Their candy striped-outfits may be a thing of the past, but the goal of these teens at TMC remains the same in the Auxiliary Youth Leadership Program. While they dress in scrubs now, they're earning their stripes helping the hospital, essentially doing the same thing candy stripers once did.
"They're engaging in support services," explained Jim Marten, the director of volunteer services at TMC. "They don't provide any direct care, and they don't go into patient rooms, but they are helping to fold linens, clean areas, direct patients, help patients who are waiting in the lobbies that might need hospitality."
All of the teenagers are volunteers, who have come in one day a week for nine weeks. While they aren't treating patients, they are making a difference.
"Every single function is something that has a wonderful ripple effect that gives more time to the patients from the doctors and the nurses," Marten said.
For Catalina Foothills High School sophomore Micaela Tuggle and Canyon Del Oro High School junior Christian Vasquez, the work is opening up future possibilities in healthcare.
"Through this program, I feel like I've explored more," Tuggle said. "I love the community around here, and I just love everybody around here, and it's making me want to do this profession later on in the future."
"I do plan on going into the medical field," Vasquez echoed. "I want to be a nurse, mainly travel nursing or mainly working in the hospital."
Whether they're pushing patients in wheelchairs, working in the cafeteria or helping in the gift shop, it's a full circle moment for Hospital President and CEO Jennifer Mendrzycki, who was a candy striper herself when she was 14 years old.
"When I went through the program a very long time ago, it really was about just getting your volunteer service in, and welcoming people from the community in for that service," she said. "Now, this program is really about, 'how do we start to build that next level of leadership in our community? How do we start to engage kids in the wonderful opportunities that are available for them in healthcare in whatever way that they want to contribute to giving back to their community?"
Much like that program did for Mendrzycki years ago, the current program is shaping the future of these local kids.
"I would never have realized that there were so many other roles in healthcare besides doctor and nurse if I hadn't had that experience, and I do really believe that it led me to this today," she added.
While August 1st was the last day of the Auxiliary Youth Leadership Program this summer, it has been so successful, the hospital plans to continue it next year. They'll start taking applications in March, followed by family interviews.
Claire Graham is an anchor and reporter for KGUN 9. She grew up in Tucson and graduated from the University of Arizona with a degree in musical theatre. Claire spent a decade in Washington state, where she worked in journalism, met her husband and welcomed their baby boy, before moving back home. Share your story ideas and important issues with Claire by emailing claire.graham@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook and X.
