Q&A: Mark Van Summern, honored hospice volunteer

Westporter Mark Van Summern, a principal at the Stamford-based architectural firm Perkins Eastman, has a full schedule. Between married life, work and the strain of the daily commute, he doesn't have a lot of free time. However, he made a decision roughly three years ago to become a volunteer at Masonicare Home Health & Hospice in Norwalk. Since then, Van Summern has remained committed to the hospice, and at a recent awards ceremony, was the sole recipient of the agency's D.O.V.E. award.

The D.O.V.E. (Dedicated to Outstanding Volunteer Excellence) award is given yearly to a volunteer who exhibits dedication to the program and exemplifies the spirit of hospice care, according to the agency.

Paula Schiavone Bruns, volunteer coordinator and community liaison for Masonicare Home Health & Hospice, told the Westport News that Van Summern is similar to former President Bill Clinton, in that he "has that ability to make people feel like they're the only person in the room."

In fact, Clinton had inspired Van Summern to find time in his schedule to "give back."

In the following Q&A, Van Summern's talks about his commitment to volunteering in the hospice:

Q: Congratulations, Mark, on receiving the D.O.V.E award from the Masonicare Home Health & Hospice of Norwalk last week. Many volunteers were honored for various years of service, but you were the single recipient of the D.O.V.E. award. What does that mean to you?

A: It is great to be appreciated and acknowledged by Masonicare. There are many deserving volunteers who give of themselves each day and could easily have won this award. To receive this recognition acknowledges that I am helping to make a difference.

Q: Can you discuss why you decided to become a volunteer at Masonicare Home Health & Hospice in the first place? As far as I know, you didn't have any loved ones being cared for there.

A: Nor did I know much about hospice and what it really provided for those in need. Working in the fast-paced corporate world for so many years, I felt internally that I needed to give back and find a way to help others. I happened to be reading Bill Clinton's book on giving and volunteering at the time, which was the spark, and just happened to read an ad in the paper looking for volunteers for hospice. The rest is, as they say, history.

Q: Describe your volunteer role. A representative for the facility said that you've been a rock of support for a patient there.

A: Although they prepare you as a volunteer, I really did not know what to expect when I first visited my patient. As it turned out he has been at the facility for at least the last 5 years and is confined to a wheelchair with limited ability to speak clearly. I realized early on that for most of the time he could hear me and understand what I was saying, but was generally unable to respond verbally. While in his room on the first day, I saw a picture of him in his youth as a Golden Gloves boxer, not unlike one my father has on the wall. From that point on, I approached it as two guys talking sports, the ladies and life. Although he could not verbalize his response, his eyes would light up and he would get a smile on his face ... especially when talking about the ladies!

Q: What do you think your visits do for him, and conversely, what do they do for you? What do you get out of the time invested?

A: I know more about him now having been filled in on the family history by his daughter, and understand that he was a very active and social man in his youth, so it is important for him to see and interact with people as part of his care program. For me, I come away feeling good about the day and that I hope in some small way I have made a difference. Like anything else, there are days I am tired and have to make the effort to get there, but once I meet up with him and the `gang,' I come away refreshed and very thankful for my and my family's good health.

Q: I hear that you not only brighten Jim's day, but also cheer up others at the hospice. Tell me a little about that. What is it exactly that you are doing that makes these patients look forward to your visits?

A: That's simple ... decaf Dunkin' Donuts coffee. Somewhere along the line I brought some in and distributed to the rest of the gang that eats together and now I can't walk into the place without it. But beyond the coffee, it's about treating them as any other person you interact with on a daily basis. They all have ups and downs, no one likes or wants to be in a health-care setting alone without any family. So by visiting with them around mealtime I get to spread the fun around.

Q: You're a principal at a Stamford-based architectural firm and you're also married. In other words, you're a busy guy. However, you still make time to visit Masonicare Home Health & Hospice of Norwalk at least once a week. What do you want to say to those who claim their lives are too busy to get involved in volunteer work?

A: That they are correct in thinking that it is a commitment of time and that you need to take that into consideration when you get involved. It's also very rewarding and a way to learn more about yourself than you think you know. You will know when the time is right ... and then act on it!