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Photos by Sarah Owens.
Vestavia Hills resident Frances Gilroy has volunteered at Baptist Health Brookwood Hospital for several years.
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Photos by Sarah Owens.
The hospital offers volunteer opportunities to college students and adults form around the Birmingham metro area.
As Baptist Health Brookwood Hospital begins a new chapter under Orlando Health, the changes aren’t just behind the scenes — the hospital is calling for more volunteers to bring fresh energy to its halls.
Brookwood already has a strong volunteer team made up of adults and college students, but leaders say they’re looking to expand the adult roster to ensure full support across departments.
Volunteers assist patients, staff and visitors throughout the hospital — greeting guests at the information desk, giving directions, delivering mail, managing the gift shop and more.
One of those welcoming faces is Frances Gilroy of Vestavia Hills, who volunteers both at the hospital’s main information desk and in the gift shop.
“I worked the main information desk on Mondays and on Fridays. I helped Shelby out in the gift shop. And I think the best part of working both sites is working with all these people that come in, especially the information desk. People are anxious. They’re nervous. They don’t know where they’re going. They don’t know how to get there and see us. We’re the first face they see when they come in,” Gilroy said.
Gilroy, a retired registered nurse who moved to Vestavia Hills from Dothan 14 years ago, said she was drawn to Brookwood because of its people and atmosphere.
“It was the atmosphere … it’s that feeling you get when you walk in this hospital that people care … it’s not just the volunteers, it’s everybody … they want you to know they care about you as a person,” she said.
Volunteers like Gilroy often go beyond their assigned roles, responding to calls to deliver clothing to patients being discharged or stepping in for special hospital events. She also serves as an officer in the hospital’s volunteer auxiliary, which helps coordinate fundraising and special events such as Operation Christmas Morning and Hospital Week.
The auxiliary is a key part of the Volunteer Program, supporting fundraising and hospital morale efforts.
But for Gilroy, it’s not just about giving back — it’s about finding joy and meaning in the small interactions.
“For me, a sense of self-worth, that I’m helping people. I’m doing something good for somebody I don’t know, and I just like to think that I’d like them to pay it forward. If I’m nice to them, and I try to take time for them, I hope they do that to somebody else,” she said.
“I think one of the best things is when a visitor comes back down and he says, ‘Thank you so much for being here. I really appreciate it.’ I mean, how many people come and tell you they appreciate you. It feels good that you’ve done something good,” Gilroy said.
While volunteers like Gilroy bring their own heart and history to the hospital, support is needed across many areas. Whether it’s holding a baby in the NICU, guiding a patient to an appointment, or assisting guests in the gift shop, Brookwood volunteers offer compassion in every corner.
To learn more about volunteering at Baptist Health Brookwood Hospital , visit baptisthealthal.com/about-us/volunteer.
