1. Hearing the heart monitor beep at a steady pace reassures Frederik that Annie is going to be all right.
Had this been a real-life emergency and Annie been a real person, 10-year-old Frederik may well have
saved a life.
This scenario is one of many situations students participating in the Health Adventures program
at M. D. Anderson find themselves in.
Forthepast11years,M.D.Anderson’sDepartmentof VolunteerServiceshashostedtheprogram
through a collaboration with Communities in Schools, a national organization aimed at preventing
children from dropping out of school and introducing them to careers in health care.
TheJuniorLeagueof Houston,Inc.fundsthenine-monthprogram,whichpairs18elementary
students with an adult volunteer mentor. Nine students are selected from both Houston’s Bastian
Elementary and KIPP (Knowledge is Power Program) 3D Academy.
wEEkENd adVENTUrES
One Saturday every month, fourth- and fifth-graders get together to learn every-
thing from how to package medicine to what goes on in the operating room.
On one spring morning, Tejpal Grover, M.D., let Frederik and other students
play doctor, teaching them what to do in emergency situations.
Though it’s just role-playing, he believes students can appreciate a learning
environment outside of their typical classroom setting. Students not only see the
doctor’s perspective, but they also see things from a patient’s viewpoint.
“It’s just fun to teach them something that they haven’t learned before,” says
Grover,whoisanassociateprofessorinM.D.Anderson’sDepartmentofGeneral
Internal Medicine, Ambulatory Treatment and Emergency Care.
After hours of emergency training, the students gathered with friends and
mentors and discussed the morning’s lessons.
For Frederik, a fifth-grader from KIPP 3D, the experience has been one
of inspiration as he develops an interest in pursuing a career in the medical
field.
“I want to be a doctor so I can take care of
people who are going through emergencies,”
he says enthusiastically.
“I’mclear!Areyouclear?Iseverybodyclear?”Frederik
Diaz yells.
Withanaudiencekeepingawatchfuleyeonhisevery
move, Frederik grabs the nearest Emergency Assist
Device and prepares to shock Annie back to life.Life
IsFullofAdventuresby Deborah Aranda
HealtH
adventures
Had this been a real-life emergency and Annie been a real person, 10-year-old Frederik may well have
This scenario is one of many situations students participating in the Health Adventures program
at M. D. Anderson find themselves in.
Forthepast11years,M.D.Anderson’sDepartmentof VolunteerServiceshashostedtheprogram
through a collaboration with Communities in Schools, a national organization aimed at preventing
children from dropping out of school and introducing them to careers in health care.
TheJuniorLeagueof Houston,Inc.fundsthenine-monthprogram,whichpairs18elementary
students with an adult volunteer mentor. Nine students are selected from both Houston’s Bastian
Elementary and KIPP (Knowledge is Power Program) 3D Academy.
wEEkENd adVENTUrES
One Saturday every month, fourth- and fifth-graders get together to learn every-
thing from how to package medicine to what goes on in the operating room.
On one spring morning, Tejpal Grover, M.D., let Frederik and other students
play doctor, teaching them what to do in emergency situations.
Though it’s just role-playing, he believes students can appreciate a learning
environment outside of their typical classroom setting. Students not only see the
doctor’s perspective, but they also see things from a patient’s viewpoint.
“It’s just fun to teach them something that they haven’t learned before,” says
Grover,whoisanassociateprofessorinM.D.Anderson’sDepartmentofGeneral
Internal Medicine, Ambulatory Treatment and Emergency Care.
After hours of emergency training, the students gathered with friends and
mentors and discussed the morning’s lessons.
For Frederik, a fifth-grader from KIPP 3D, the experience has been one
of inspiration as he develops an interest in pursuing a career in the medical
“I want to be a doctor so I can take care of
people who are going through emergencies,”
Paddles in hand, Frederik Diaz attempts
to bring “annie” back to life.
5

2. Coming into their own
Cindy Shursen, Health Adventures program coordinator at M. D. Anderson,
has seen how students have flourished in the program, which was initiated by the
American Society of Directors of Volunteer Services in 1996, and is now offered
in hospitals throughout the United States.
“The kids really come out of their shells,” she says. “Some of the kids that come
inarereallyshyatfirst,thenastheyprogressthroughtheprogram,theybeginasking
questions and volunteering for participation.”
Theprogram is a goodfit for students who havean interestin the medical field,
but also for those who may be having trouble academically, Shursen says.
During the school year, students are introduced to different areas throughout
the hospital and have a day of activities planned for each visit. Before their final
Saturday stop in the emergency room, they already had spent time with nurses,
pharmacists, child life specialists, and physical and occupational therapists, and
learned about sterile processing, radiation oncology and laboratory medicine.
Onthelastdayoftheprogram,mentorsandsitehostsunite,makingitaspecial
one to remember.
“I’ll make books for the kids with famous motivational quotes that they get to
keep,” Shursen says. “We have a graduation ceremony and hand out diplomas.
At the end of the ceremony, the kids toss their caps. Every year it’s a lot of fun
and extremely rewarding.”
Something more to gain
Students aren’t the only ones benefiting from the Health
Adventures program. Medical professionals and volunteers also
have gained something valuable — the satisfaction of making a
difference in a child’s life.
That’s been the case for Osvaldo Gomez, who’s been a
volunteer mentor for the past five years.
“It’ssocriticalforkidstohavecaringadultsintheirlives,and
some of these kids go home to a very challenging environment,”
he says. “They’re bringing a lot of challenges to the program
already, so to be a part of their lives for these nine months is very
important to me. That’s one of the reasons I got involved.”
Gomez,ahumanresourcesspecialistatM.D.Anderson,says
the program has contributed to his learning about the diverse
world of medicine.
“I get a chance to experience and see things within the
hospital that I wouldn’t normally see as an employee, like the
operating room, rehabilitation center or radiology,” he says. “I
read about them, I work with some of the staff involved, but this
program really gives me a chance to be in the middle of seeing
first-hand what these areas are all about.”
Sally Fernandez, nurse manager for the Emergency Center,
has been a work-site host since the program started. Motivating
Health
Adventures
Brittany Cisneros (right) gets her blood pressure
checked as Alondra Ortiz waits her turn.
Below, Brittany teams with her mentor Laurie Elmore
in the laboratory to conduct several experiments.
6

3. students to keep attending school has been an enjoyable experience for her. “It’s always great
to help them stay in school and get them excited about continuing their studies. Get them
focused, not off track,” she says.
According to Shursen, students in higher-grade levels are more prone to quit school,
which is why the Health Adventures program focuses on elementary school-age children.
The goal is to reach students early and get them excited about staying in school and seeing
what career opportunities are available to them.
Like Frederik, 12-year-old David Espinoza feels fortunate to be in such a program. “I
learned how to take care of people and what to do if they had a heart attack or were on the
ground,” he says. “I like this program. We’re lucky that we’re here.”
Future plans for the Health Adventures program include having a reunion for mentors
and past students involved. “This program continues to evolve every year,” Shursen says.
Rodrigo Lugo (left) and Frederik
Diaz listen intently as nurse Sally
Fernandez discusses what a typical
day is like in M. D. Anderson’s
Emergency Center.
7