Dynamic Duo of Volunteers Put Their Hearts into St. Louis HELP

ST. LOUIS - Sept. 18, 2016 - PRLog -- Between them, Maureen Hayworth and Kathy Ivancic have more than 16 years of volunteer experience with the St. Louis Health Equipment Lending Program (St. Louis HELP).

Kathy, a nurse at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, and Maureen, who recently retired after 30 years as a Boeing financial analyst, are a dynamic duo at St. Louis HELP's lending warehouse in Olivette and they also assist with many of its off-site events.

Each began volunteering at the nonprofit organization soon after it was founded in 2008.

They stick with it because of the people they meet and the heart-warming stories they hear from those who visit St. Louis HELP to donate health equipment or receive free loans of equipment.

"We've been volunteering here almost from the very start," says Maureen, "and we've done just about everything a volunteer can do at St. Louis HELP."

"It's a joy to know that we are serving the metro St. Louis community through an organization that really helps people here and internationally," says Kathy.

Kathy and Maureen met years ago at New Covenant Church in Chesterfield. Through their church they volunteered with a group that provides wheelchairs for needy children overseas.

When they learned that St. Louis HELP freely loans home health equipment to needy people in St. Louis and other nations -- and of its mission to recycle unusable equipment -- they signed up as St. Louis HELP volunteers.

St. Louis HELP freely loans wheelchairs, hospital beds, walkers, crutches, shower chairs, tub benches, grab bars, portable commodes, lift chairs, pediatric equipment and additional medical equipment to any person, caregiver or family at absolutely no cost.

It collects about 11,000 items of donated home health equipment annually in twice-a-year equipment drives and via donations of equipment that people bring to its warehouse during the year. All donated equipment is sanitized and reconditioned by a team of skilled craftsmen and volunteers, often including Maureen and Kathy. Each year, St. Louis HELP diverts about 140 tons of equipment that would otherwise end up in landfills.

Donated equipment that cannot legally be re-used in the U.S., such as catheter tubing, needles and prosthetics, is sent to international relief agencies that recondition and distribute such equipment in developing nations.

St. Louis HELP's warehouse at 9709 Dielman Rock Island Drive is full of equipment ready for free loans or in various stages of reconditioning. This summer St. Louis HELP opened The Women's Center there to freely loan wigs, bras and prosthetic breasts to women who are victims of breast cancer.

The warehouse, including The Women's Center, is open every Wednesday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. by appointment. Call (314) 567-4700 (tel:%28314%29%20567-4700) to schedule a visit.

At least once a month for eight years, Maureen and Kathy have worked at the warehouse "pitching in to do whatever needs to be done," Kathy says.

Since the beginning they have helped tag and catalog donated equipment; organized the ever-changing inventory; sanitized equipment by using toothbrushes, scrubbers and sanitizing solvents; painted shelves; participated in equipment drives and fundraising events; addressed thousands of direct mail letters; and more.

Maureen says, "In 2010 I had to have lumbar fusion surgery. I borrowed a pair of toilet hand rails from our warehouse that enabled me to use the bathroom by myself. That may sound like a small thing but for me it was a big deal at the time – it meant a lot for my independence."

It seems that everyone who visits St. Louis HELP to borrow or donate equipment has a story to tell about themselves, a family member or a loved one.

Maureen recalls that, not long ago, a woman whose son had passed away visited the warehouse. The woman wore a locket around her neck with a picture of her son inside. He had lived with severe disabilities until he died. Rather than keep it at home or throw it away, the woman wanted to donate the equipment that her son had used to St. Louis HELP.

"As she talked about her son," Maureen says, "she said she felt reassured that St. Louis HELP would loan her son's equipment to someone else who would benefit from using it. She said she found a real sense of peace in donating his medical equipment rather than putting it in the trash."

"We've found that a lot of people feel the same way."

"Those are the types of heart-warming stories that we hear from people almost every day we are at the St. Louis HELP warehouse," says Kathy. "And that's one reason why it is so rewarding to volunteer with this organization."

Maureen's husband Joe is a MetLife financial advisor in St. Louis. Kathy's husband Mark works in healthcare business management at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. As such, Joe Hayworth and Mark Ivancic offer extra benefits to the dynamic duo of Kathy and Maureen, and the organization.

Both can be seen at the lending warehouse working as volunteers!

St. Louis HELP is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization founded by Executive Director Laura Cannon-Singer. For free loans of home health equipment or to donate health equipment you don't need, please call St. Louis HELP at 314 567 4700 or see the website http://www.stlhelp.org.

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