Volunteer Joani’s Story

Joani, a volunteer at CHOC, with Choco Bear

Joani became a volunteer at CHOC four years ago when she was thinking about going back to school for nursing, but then she fell in love with volunteering and has since contributed more than 500 hours of time. She started out in patient hospitality and now volunteers in playrooms and hosts Turtle Talk. Her favorite part?

“I love helping kids just be kids and play, and allowing them to forget they’re in a hospital,” she says. “It’s important to remember that these children and teens are kids first and patients second.”