A Wolcott woman who was cared for at Gaylord Hospital after suffering a traumatic brain injury is now volunteering at the hospital to help others.
It’s National Volunteer Week, highlighting the people that spend their time helping others.
At Gaylord Hospital, there's a special volunteer who was once in the same shoes as her patients.
Stream Connecticut News for free, 24/7, wherever you are.
WATCH HEREKit Casey is a Wolcott woman who survived a traumatic brain injury and stroke in 2022 and was helped at Gaylord.
For the past year, she has volunteered to make connections with patients and to give them hope.
Get top local Connecticut stories delivered to you every morning with the News Headlines newsletter.
SIGN UP "They're going to work you hard in therapy that’s for sure,” said Casey, talking to a patient with a smile.
Everyone at Gaylord Hospital seems to know Casey.
"I just hope I can bring them a little bit of optimism, humor as they go through their journey here,” said Casey.
Local
In 2022, Casey says she couldn't walk when she arrived at Gaylord.
Now, she walks up and down the halls three days a week and shares her story as she transports patients through the building. She also helps in the patient financial office, and she's going to become a peer mentor too, to share her stories with patients even more.
Casey's former care team and family say it's remarkable to watch the new patients connect with her.
"Seeing everybody high five her and say ‘hey Kit’, everyone loves her and she's an inspiration,” said her son TJ, who also works at Gaylord.
"She's made tremendous progress. It was really nice to see her when she came back to volunteer from where she was when she discharged,” said Heidi Fagan, an occupational therapist at Gaylord.
Casey says volunteering the past year has made a huge impact on her, too.
"You're doing it for them, but you're doing it for yourself more so to give back,” said Casey.
She reminds patients that they’re at Gaylord with the goal of going home.
But, for her, she’s glad she's back to share a message of hope.
“Whatever trials and tribulations you're going through, it's going to get better, and to always keep that in your heart,” said Casey.
Gaylord Hospital says they have around 50 volunteers, some of who are former patients, just like Casey.
"We find that them coming back to volunteer is very meaningful, it provides hope, said Dorothy Orlowski, of Gaylord Hospital.
