TIP Orange County Chapter

COMPASSION IN ACTION - Western Medical Center-Santa Ana

On March 16, 2008, a freeway collision ended the life of a young college student and put his high school sweetheart in the ICU at Western Medical Center-Santa Ana. Nurses in the ICU learned that the young man’s funeral was to be held while the young woman was hospitalized in the ICU. The nurses went to Greg Schwartz, Technical Manager of Information Services at WMC-SA to ask if there was a way for the young woman to attend her boyfriend’s funeral memorial via a TV connection of some kind.

Greg and the Information Services Team with the approval of hospital administration, doctors and the ICU staff went to work. Using their technological expertise, they arranged for the young woman to view her boyfriend's memorial service via a web cam in her ICU room.

TIP commends this team effort of compassion by the staff of Western Medical Center-Santa Ana.

GENE DRYSDALE - TIP VOLUNTEER

TIP volunteer Gene Drysdale was born at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Orange and has lived in California all his life. He graduated from California State University with a degree in Public Health Microbiology and in 1994 he established his own family run company which distributes laboratory supplies used to test the quality of food and other products. Now, Gene is what he calls “pretty much retired.” When asked why he joined TIP, he jokingly said, “I was tired of fishing.” But on a serious note he said, “I wanted to find a program of significance.” He reports that TIP is indeed that program. “TIP is rewarding in a way that is hard to put into words,” said Gene. “TIP volunteers come from an enormous range of backgrounds. The common thread is compassion. I have yet to work with a volunteer that I would not want to have as a friend,” he said.

“Gene is a tremendously compassionate man who TIP is lucky to have,” reports Crisis Team Manager, Debbie Simpson. “He has brought us unique ideas and a willingness to jump in and get involved,” she said. Gene receives a great deal of satisfaction from being a TIP volunteer. “To know that I have done some small things to help people get through the worst day of their lives is quite rewarding, he says.

When he is not volunteering for TIP, Gene enjoys fishing, traveling with his wife of 35-years - Leslie, and being a “grandpa” to his two beautiful grandchildren. Smiling from ear to ear Gene says, “Being a grandpa is the best thing in the world.”