Our KNX Hero of the Week, Stefanie Yoshii, helps people cope after a devastating trauma.
Courtesy of Stefanie Yoshii and UCI Health
Stefanie is not only the patient relations manager at UCI Health, but she also helps manage the Orange County Trauma Intervention Program, or TIP. She meets people going through their toughest moments in life, giving them comfort through a hug or a holding of the hand - whatever they may need.
She said it’s a humbling space to be in.
Courtesy of Stefanie Yoshii and UCI Health
“They're inviting you into a space where they're mourning a loved one or getting ready to mourn a loved one, and so you just have to consider it as a sacred opportunity to be invited into,” she told Heroes Host Heather Jordan. “You go in just being available to whatever situation, and it's just your presence. I mean, that's what's so important. It's just people need you just to be there. Like, sometimes they don't even want you to say words. They just want you to sit there with them in that space.”
For anyone interested in being a TIP volunteer, Stefanie says there’s training they need to complete.
Courtesy of Stefanie Yoshii and UCI Health
“I've gone through the 55-hour training, and I've done my three months of internship and have been supervised, and so that's part of the training for TIP,” she said.
She urges anyone who may be interested in this special type of volunteer work to sign up.
“It's such a pleasure to be able to help other people,” she said. “The thank you…you don't even need words. You just know that they're so appreciative of you being there.”
Check out our other KNX Heroes here.
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