UT Southwestern honors volunteers for loyal service as program soars to new levels

Published on: May 22, 2026 By: Scott Wuerz

A group of men and women stand with a smiling woman holding up a certificate. — Senior Source volunteers and leaders of UT Southwestern’s Volunteer Services program gather for a group photo at the annual luncheon honoring participants, who this past year contributed nearly 18,000 hours of service. From left: Michael Dade, Senior Source RSVP Program Coordinator; volunteers Fatima Patel, Yasmin Arab, and Gulshan Hajani; Sherri Wood Cooper, Manager of Volunteer Services; volunteers Yasmeen Ali, Shahnaz Merchant, and Habiba Merchant; and the Rev. John O'Neal, Director of Spiritual Care and Support and Volunteer Services.

UT Southwestern volunteers celebrated reaching new heights over the past year in a fittingly lofty new location.

The annual Volunteer Recognition Luncheon was held in late April – during National Volunteer Week – on the 14th floor of the T. Boone Pickens Biomedical Building, where program participants were recognized for their unprecedented contributions this year: nearly 18,000 hours in more than 30 UT Southwestern departments. In the past, the luncheon has been held at William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital.

The program, which got its start more than 80 years ago, also logged its 1 millionth volunteer hour of service – an incredible achievement.

Woman holds one arm in the air, while others seated at tables look on.

Volunteer Habiba Merchant holds up her winning ticket after her number was drawn for a prize at the event.

In a video message, Jonathan Efron, M.D., Executive Vice President for Health System Affairs, thanked the group of giving individuals for their time and compassion.

“You are essential components of our healthcare team, and the time and care you provide really makes us who we are today,” Dr. Efron said. “So, whether you have been here 25 years, if you’ve just started, or if you’ve done this for 7,000 hours, or provide care for a couple of hours a week, I can’t thank you enough for all you do for us.”

About 80 of UT Southwestern’s more than 435 active volunteers attended the luncheon, where they enjoyed a poignant view overlooking construction of the rapidly progressing New Pediatric Campus being built in partnership with Children’s Health. The $5 billion pediatric campus will provide future opportunities for what has become a strong youth movement among UTSW volunteers.

A man and four women smile as they pose together.

UT Dallas Comet HELP student volunteers enjoy the luncheon and an opportunity for a group photo. Applications from younger volunteers hoping to serve more than doubled in 2025. From left: Kareena Kamal; Gipsy Cabrera Perez; Byron Westbrook, Manager of Clinical Operations in the Emergency Department; Hamshitha Sasidhar; and Giana Abraham.

“This year we opened the application process for student volunteers on April 1, and we decided to close it on April 3 because we had already received almost 500 applications,” said Sherri Wood Cooper, Manager of Volunteer Services. In 2025, the number of student participants increased from 60 to 133. “The eagerness of community members – from high schoolers to senior citizens – to donate their time to help UT Southwestern fulfill its mission of providing the best care possible to the people it serves was amazing.”

Also recognized at the event were several longtime volunteers who hit impressive service milestones:

25 years – Virginia Hyatt
15 years – Christopher “Kip” Rolland
5 years – Shahnaz Merchant and Aryan Verma
7,000 hours – Todd Laycock
5,000 hours – Dolly Wu
3,000 hours – Jeanette Lynch
2,500 hours – Victor “Aleck” Dwyer
2,000 hours – Steven Zavadsky
500 hours – Hilda Ageh and Blanquita Chionglo

Mrs. Lynch was the lucky attendee to log the program’s 1 millionth volunteer hour of service.

A smiling man and woman stand with a laughing woman holding up a certificate.

Volunteer Jeanette Lynch (center) receives a certificate of appreciation from the Rev. O’Neal and Ms. Wood Cooper.

Another participant who attended the program, Cherry Harper, lost her husband, Grady, to cancer in 2023. She was so moved by the care he received at UT Southwestern that she still makes the more than two-hour drive each way weekly from her home in Paris, Texas, to donate her time as a patient advocate at the Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center and Clements University Hospital (CUH).

“The help we got meant so much to us, so to be able to help other people hopefully makes a meaningful difference for them,” Mrs. Harper said. “I love these annual get-togethers, too. There’s not much that can pull me away from my great-granddaughter. But I wanted to be here to see everyone, and then I’ll rush right back to her.”

The volunteer program traces its roots to 1943 when the St. Paul Hospital Auxiliary was created, and its members compiled supplies for UTSW’s former St. Paul University Hospital.

Smiling man speaks to an audience seated at round tables.

The Rev. O’Neal welcomes volunteers to the luncheon and thanks them for their dedication over the past year.

Today, those in the program support patients at CUH, Zale Lipshy Pavilion, the Simmons Cancer Center, and UTSW regional medical centers in Fort Worth, Frisco, and RedBird. Their responsibilities range from talking and listening to patients, reading and playing games with them, or bringing them a drink if they’re thirsty. They also assist by assembling packets and tackling administrative or customer service tasks such as answering phones, helping with wayfinding, and sorting mail, freeing up UTSW care teams to focus on their core work.

“In many ways, we had to start over when COVID happened,” Ms. Wood Cooper said. “Our goal was to get back to where we were before. We did that quicker than we could have hoped … and things have never stopped growing.”