President's Circle Honoree: Toni Leathers

The kind smile of a volunteer is often one of the first interactions our patients and visitors have when they arrive at Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center (PVHMC). Their caring personalities can calm an uneasy patient coming to the Hospital for a procedure, or provide confidence to a visitor worried about the status of their family member. This is especially true for patients checking-in for surgery.

The Outpatient Surgical Services Department in the Robert and Beverly Lewis Outpatient Pavilion sees patients for procedures ranging from cataract surgery, to hernia repair, to knee replacements.

No matter which procedure you or your family member is having, if you are scheduled on a day when Volunteer Toni Leathers is at the reception desk, you are sure to have your day brightened, and your nerves quelled.

With a smile like sunshine and a contagious laugh, her dedication and desire to serve are evident to every person who has the pleasure of meeting her.

Toni began volunteering at PVHMC just two years ago, but she has already served more than 450 hours in both Outpatient Surgery and in the Tender Touch Gift Shop.

Among her roles in Outpatient Surgery, she checks-in patients, provides updates to the families and other visitors and assists with transporting patients safely to their cars once they have been discharged.

But to the people she interacts with, Toni does so much more. She is a cheerleader, a kind-hearted person who provides optimism and reassurance to those who need it, and a person who selflessly shares her bright smile to all.

In just this last year, Toni has received 18 5-Star Associate Review Cards! This means that 18 patients and family members were so positively impacted by her presence that they felt compelled to take a moment to share their experience and give Toni the recognition she deserves.

One such recognition card Toni received had these words written on it:

“Kindness and consideration for patient families. Outstanding. Made us feel comfortable. Very pleasant.”

We are blessed to have one of the largest Hospital volunteer programs in Southern California. Our Volunteers are invaluable for the day-to-day activities of the Hospital and are often the first people our patients and visitors interact with.

Toni is a Volunteer who truly elevates Customer Satisfaction, and whose seemingly small acts of kindness can make the sometimes intimidating experience of a surgical visit, a not so scary one after all.