Former Nurse Brings Her Experience Full Circle Caring for Others as Hospital Volunteer

Mary Williams was a nurse for forty years. Her life has always centered around being of service to others. But, in late 2020, Mary became the recipient of that care.

On the Other Side of Patient Care

Pete, Mary’s husband, was in critical condition in the intensive care unit at Methodist Medical Center following the repair of an aortic aneurysm and a heart valve replacement. He was on a ventilator and had a feeding tube. The Williams did not live in Oak Ridge or close to the hospital. But Mary needed to be nearby due to her husband’s serious condition. Pete was hospitalized for 88 days, and he coded at least four times during his stay.

During Pete’s long hospitalization, Mary was able to stay for several weeks at the Hospitality Houses.

“I will never forget the compassionate concern for my comfort,” said Mary. “It enabled me to walk over to the hospital at any time and sit with him. I was able to get there quickly if he got worse. I had a nice private room with bed linens and towels provided. The full kitchen was stocked with nonperishable foods and supplies. All of this was at no cost to me or my family. I was made to feel at home.”

The Hospitality Houses also gave Mary companionship. While she was staying there, she made friends with a woman from Loudon County who was undergoing cancer treatment. Mary recalls, “We shared a Thanksgiving meal with my daughters, brother-in-law. The other guest joined us because her family was unable to attend. We remain friends to this day.”

My Way of Paying it Forward

Sadly, Pete ultimately passed away on February 1, 2021. Mary found an outlet for her grief by staying busy.

“It is my way of paying it forward,” Mary said. “I wanted to do something good out of a bad situation. So, I started volunteering in the MMC gift shop first. Then added work at the Thompson Infusion Center and the Hospitality Houses. My favorite things about volunteering at the Houses are making sure guests have everything they need and seeing how much the donors are providing for our guests. It feels good to see the guests benefiting, like I did, from being so close to the hospital.”

Mary shared, “You just don’t know what a difference it can make until you walk in someone else’s shoes. Thank you to all the donors for this life-changing experience. I will continue to give my time and resources in memory of my husband.”

Sharing Her Story for Holiday Lights

Mary is sharing her story as a part of a special annual campaign for the Hospitality Houses called Holiday Lights for Health. Just like for Mary’s experience, Methodist’s Hospitality Houses offer a welcoming home to hundreds of people from our local communities and from all over the country. The services are supported by the Methodist Medical Center Foundation and offer their services free of charge. 

So that we may continue this tradition of hospitality, we welcome and rely on the support of the community. Whether it’s with monetary contributions, donations of food or household goods, or through volunteering, you can make a difference to our neighbors, to our community, and to all those seeking shelter in life’s storm. Without your generous support, we could not continue to provide a “home away from home” for people facing a medical crisis. 

Our annual Holiday Lights campaign raises money for the Hospitality Houses of Methodist Medical Center, which provide temporary lodging for patients and families who travel to Oak Ridge for extended medical treatment. This campaign is a unique opportunity to help our patients and their families when they need it most and pay tribute to the important people in your life during the holiday season.  

Whatever you can give, large or small, will be used to provide lodging and healing hospitality for our patients and families. Whether you are a long-time friend or are a first-time donor, thank you for allowing us to keep the Hospitality Houses’ doors open and our mission of hope and healing alive.

Your Donation Saves Lives