Celebrating Hospital volunteers during National Volunteer Week – and throughout the year
Each April, we celebrate National Volunteer Week, and in 2026 that celebration gains special meaning as the United Nations has declared 2026 the International Volunteer Year, recognizing the essential role volunteers play in strengthening communities around the world.
At St. Paul’s Hospital, we’re so grateful for the volunteers who choose to give their time and make the Hospital such a special place. Our volunteers are part of a shared mission to support whole-person care that honours body, mind, and spirit.
In the Healing Arts Program, that care often takes creative form. Volunteers work alongside Artist in Residence Marlessa Wesolowski, offering opportunities for patients to engage with visual art, music, and reading. Whether through a quiet moment with a book cart or a guided art activity, these interactions help restore a sense of identity and possibility.
“Their compassionate presence reminds patients that they are a whole person, not their illness,” Marlessa said.
Through mentorship and collaboration, the program continues to grow, reaching more patients and deepening its impact across the Hospital.
That experience is meaningful for volunteers as well. Healing Arts volunteer Fatema describes her time in the program as grounding and restorative. It has allowed her to explore the therapeutic side of art while witnessing how creativity can support emotional well-being. Like many volunteers, she carries what she learns beyond the Hospital and back into the community.
In other areas of the Hospital, volunteers offer support in equally important ways. In the Hemodialysis Unit, Afolake contributed her time while preparing for the next step in her medical career. Her journey reflects the reciprocal nature of volunteering, where learning, service, and compassion come together. As she moves on to a residency in Family Medicine, she leaves with gratitude for the relationships and knowledge gained along the way.
At the Hospital’s front entrance, Hospitality Volunteers are often the first point of connection for patients and families. In a newly renovated space designed to welcome and guide, volunteers like Brian, Mariah, and Sofia — supported by staff liaison Bonnie Marwood — help create a sense of calm and orientation at the start of each visit. Their presence sets the tone for what care at St. Paul’s Hospital strives to be: respectful, compassionate, and centred on each person who walks through the door.
Across Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan Health Authority volunteers contributed more than 153,489 hours of service in 2025 alone, representing an estimated economic impact of more than $4.68 million. Behind those numbers are thousands of human connections: Moments of reassurance, kindness, and dignity that shape the experience of care.
Together, these stories reflect something larger than any single role. Volunteers extend care in ways that complement clinical expertise, offering time, attention, and humanity in moments that matter.
During National Volunteer Week, and throughout this International Volunteer Year, we are reminded that this work is shared. Volunteers, staff, physicians, donors, and community partners each play a role in sustaining a place where people are cared for with dignity.
To every volunteer at St. Paul’s Hospital: Thank you! Your presence strengthens a community of health, hope, and compassion for all.