The IMSS Volunteers are made up of 1,867 male and female volunteers throughout the country, who altruistically participate in various programs aimed at the social and emotional well-being of beneficiaries receiving medical treatment for a chronic illness and their family caregivers.
On the occasion of International Volunteer Day, which is commemorated on December 5, Dr. Alejandra Aburto de Robledo, Honorary President of Volunteering at the Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS), pointed out that work is being done on the professionalization of these collaborators, in order to best support medical and nursing staff, as well as relatives of pediatric cancer patients, older adults and women who just had their baby.
He pointed out that in the educational channel eduTK IMSS (https://edutk.imss.gob.mx/) those interested in joining the IMSS Volunteering, take a course and an introductory exam to the activities that are carried out, and later an interview to be channeled to the activity in which they can best develop.
The work of the IMSS volunteers ranges from giving talks to prevent breast cancer, handing out handmade breast prostheses for women whose line of treatment was mastectomy.
There is also a Crafts Workshop, dedicated to relatives who remain for a long time in the care of their hospitalized patients or who receive long-term treatments, while in “El Cafecito”, there is the donation of food and drinks, according to the characteristics and climate of each state, dedicated to supporting the stay of family caregivers.
The hospitals have space within their facilities, toy libraries, where patients and family caregivers participate in readings and games, which has a positive impact on mood, and promotes the development of different skills and adaptation to the new environment.
Another very important space are the shelters where the relatives of beneficiaries who are undergoing treatment have facilities where they can sleep, eat, bathe, wash their clothes and be close to their patient.
For those who need to change their clothes, because they don’t have enough, or their patient is already going to be discharged, they can find something in the “Ringo Bazaar”, where the sale of donated clothes, toys and objects is carried out, and these funds are used to purchase prostheses, wheelchairs, walkers and various needs of the patients
Dr. Aburto de Robledo called on retirees from Social Security to continue as part of the IMSS Family, now from the Volunteer Service, and continue with the mission of supporting entitlement.
“The message that I would give my volunteers more than anything is thank you, thank you for being so enthusiastic, for working so hard, for always being willing to do more, to grow and to be better, and that we continue in the fight and in the chamba, so that every day we are a stronger and more powerful Volunteering” he emphasized.
