Gift Shop
The hospital Gift Shop was established in 1971 and the Gift Cart “gift shop on wheels” a few years earlier. The gift shop’s main goal is to provide service and is an ongoing source of funds for the Association’s hospital projects dedicated to the improvement of healthcare in GMHA. The gift shop makes goods available for purchase for the personal needs of patients, families, visitors, and employees of the hospital. The Gift Shop and Gift Cart are wholly managed and operated by volunteers who give of their time to work countless hours in order to keep these services available. The Gift Shop is opened Mon-Fri. When volunteers are available, the Gift Shop may open 7 days a week.
Patient Care
The first mission of the GMH Volunteers is to provide patient care. Those services include:
- Patient Visitations: Volunteers visit patients who are allowed to have visitors; assisting them with what is allowable while respecting their privacy, such as turning TV on/off; adjusting the window blinds; refilling their water containers; offering reading materials; or just a quick “Hello” “Good Morning” “How are you” words of comfort.
- Patient Grooming Services: Volunteers who have skill and experience in cutting hair provide hair grooming services to patients at the Skilled Nursing Unit facility.
- Interpretation Services: There is a need for interpreters for patients who do not speak English. If you speak Japanese, Korean, Chinese, and the languages of the outer Pacific islands, your valuable services are needed. Occasionally there is also a need for someone who can interpret in “sign” language.
- Patient/Visitor Navigation: Volunteers when available may man the information booth located in the front entrance alongside the hospital security. They provide assistance in locating and directing patients and visitors to wards and departments.
- Pediatrics: Volunteers are particularly appreciated by the children. Providing comfort to sick children can be in the form of reading books, singing songs, playing games, or feeding them.
- Assisting Hospital Departments: Volunteers may be called upon to assist the certain departments in the hospital
Angels In Need Program
The “Angels In Need” program was established in 2018 to provide financial assistance to families of gravely ill infants and young children who are patients of GMH and who need life-saving medical treatments which are not available on Guam. While specialists and hospitals exist off island that are willing to take on these gravely ill children and while Medicaid and other insurances are there to finance the medical care for the child, no provisions existed for the parent who must accompany the child off-island.
When a GMHA doctor determines that a child needs life-saving medical treatment not available on Guam and the GMHA social worker, after an evaluation, determines that the family needs financial assistance, a referral is sent to the Angels in Need Program. $750 ($25 per day for 30 days) is immediately provided for food and for payment for up to one month lodging for a total of up to $5,000. Money for emergency passports or Real IDs is included if necessary. This does not prevent the family from receiving assistance from other sources. What makes this program unique is that assistance is given immediately so that the child and accompanying adult can leave island and that child can begin receiving necessary treatment. Please remember the Angels in Need Program when thinking of making a contribution to GMHVA.
The Healing Tree
A symbol of corporate dedication, a memorial to a loved one or a pledge of personal support, this fundraising project can immortalize any of these sentiments. The eight by eight foot tree is designed with an ifil wood trunk and leaves of acrylic and brass plates. All donors will have the opportunity to inscribe the leaf they purchase with their company name or logo or their own personal message. Donor levels are as follows: Platinum Donor $2500; Gold Donor $1000; Silver Donor $500; Bronze Donor $200. The Healing Tree is an ongoing fundraiser and continues to grow. It is displayed at the Guam Memorial Hospital first floor elevator lobby. Contact GMHVA to purchase your leaf 647-2168 or 646-5562.
Fundraising
The organization holds a handful of fundraising events throughout the year to assist the hospital in donating and purchasing necessary equipment, supplies, and upkeep. The two major fundraiser events are the Annual Charity Ball and the Thanksgiving Raffle. All volunteers take an active part in organizing, managing, and promoting these events.