Volunteer Spotlight: Christian Won

Volunteering is the ultimate act of kindness one can offer. Islands Hospice volunteer Christian Won shows this compassion to our patients and in his daily life as a medical assistant at Adventist Health Castle Medical Center. During this pandemic, his job has kept him busier than usual, administering COVID-19 tests at a drive-thru testing center. However, he still finds time to stay connected to our IH ohana.

Christian’s involvement at Islands Hospice dates back to when he was a college student at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. He had heard of the excellent care his grandfather received at Islands Hospice and saw our call for volunteers. He started volunteering for five hours at a time to assist the employees in the office and connect with patients. Christian enjoys the positive environment at Islands Hospice and the helpful staff. 

One of his fondest memories is with his first-ever patient, a “sweet, old Japanese lady who always had a genial smile on her face.” Christian always tried to speak in her native language to help her feel a little more comfortable. Over time, he got to know her family whenever they came to visit. When the patient started to slip away, she comforted Christian by telling him everything will be okay. After the patient eventually passed, Christian reflected on this experience. “I was grateful to have met such a wonderful lady who loved her family,” Christian remembered.

In his free time, when Christian is not at work or volunteering with Islands Hospice, he makes time to volunteer for the Homeless Outreach and Medical Education (H.O.M.E.) project, visiting homeless shelters around Oahu to provide free medical care for the homeless community. 

We are grateful to receive Christian’s support and passion for helping others.