Jean Burrows
SEPTEMBER 2005 WINNER

Got a question while visiting the University of Colorado Hospital?  Chances are Jean Burrows knows the answer. While Jean isn't a doctor or a nurse-she knows the hospital inside and out.  "People say, 'if you have a question, just ask Jean, she's been here forever," Burrows explains.
Jean has been at the hospital for a long time-35 years to be exact.  "Well I probably started volunteering in the late 60s in the emergency room… and it's nothing like it is today," Jean said while giving us a tour of the renovated E.R.

While passing exam rooms, she explained that when she first started instead of doors, there were only curtains separating guests. She actually remembers further back, however. "The land where this hospital was built was an old driving range," she says.

"She's the history of the hospital," said Kelly Bowland, the hospital's volunteer coordinator. "Anytime I need to know something that happened in the last 35 years she has the answer or knows who to go to."

Jean actually started volunteering at the hospital after her husband set up the University of Colorado's School of Dentistry on the site. "She followed me over," explains Leslie Burrows, "but then she took the place over. She just runs the place around here, as anyone can tell you."

Over the years she's worked in several places in the hospital including the old pediatrics wing and the gift shop. Jean says no matter where she's at-she finds a way to help others. "I think you can help anywhere, whether it's here in the gift shop, the hallway, anywhere in the hospital or even in the grocery store."

While her husband retired a few years ago, Jean hasn't slowed down at all. "Jean averages forty hours a week volunteering. A lot of people don't even work that much," said Bowland. "It's amazing that someone would give up their time and their talents for 35 years."

In all she's given more than 37,500 hours at the hospital. The president of the hospital says she thinks her work at the hospital has been amazing. From organizing the volunteer auxiliary to running the gift shop, she's made a lasting impact at the hospital. "Jean is remarkable. For all the years and hours she's volunteered here and she's still very energetic."

Perhaps the reason Jean pours so much of her energy in volunteering is that she can relate to the patients-because she was once one. She's won two bouts with breast cancer and survived two strokes and now encourages patients facing potentially life-threatening diseases. "I feel if you keep busy and you thank god for each day… that as long as he has work left for me to do I'm here for it."

Now she's helping with the largest change at the hospital since she's been there-it's move to Fitzsimons. Jean has helped to design new gift shops at the new building, as well as a chapel made possible by the estate of another volunteer. Regardless of where the hospital is located-Jean just hopes to help as many people as possible. "I think we volunteers sometimes make more of an impression than we ever realize. As I've said many times-we can touch a heart and never know it, but we've done all we can."

Join us in congratulating Jean Burrows, the September 9Who Care Award Winner.