Generations of Service: Families Carry on a Volunteer Tradition at East Jefferson General Hospital

For some volunteers at East Jefferson General Hospital giving their time is more than just something they do. Volunteering has become part of who they are. 

That is certainly true for Sheryl Mazerat. Her connection to volunteering at East Jefferson General Hospital stretches across three generations and includes her grandparents, her mother, and now Sheryl and her husband, Donald Mazerat Jr. 

The same is true for Susan Scotton and her mother, Gail Daigle. Their combined history with East Jefferson General Hospital spans decades, first through Susan’s career as a medical-surgical nurse there and later through the time both women have spent helping patients as volunteers. 

Their stories are different, but they share a common thread. Each found that giving time to others brought something meaningful in return: purpose, connection, and the satisfaction of knowing they made someone’s day a little easier. 

A family tradition at East Jefferson General Hospital 

Sheryl, 69, grew up just two blocks from East Jefferson General Hospital. Her grandparents, Eva and Frank Reis III, began volunteering at the hospital in the 1990s. Her grandmother worked at the front desk, while her grandfather helped wherever an extra pair of hands was needed. 

Sheryl’s mother, Sylvia, also volunteered from 1990 until 2003. She assisted nurses, brought water to patients, performed administrative work, and later helped in the CT scan office. 

As a child and young adult, Sheryl watched members of her family make East Jefferson General Hospital part of their lives. Eventually, she followed in their footsteps. 

After leaving the workforce at 40, Sheryl spent years caring for her parents. When her mother died in 2018, Sheryl was ready for a new way to continue caring for others. She turned to East Jefferson General Hospital. 

“I do anything they want me to do,” Sheryl said. “And I do it with a smile on my face. I love volunteering there.” 

She initially worked at the front desk but soon decided she wanted a more active role. She began transporting patients from the hospital entrance to appointments and other destinations throughout the hospital. Whether helping patients get to their appointments or simply offering a friendly greeting, Sheryl believes even the smallest gestures can make a difference. 

“You get to talk to a lot of people,” she said. “Everyone that I make eye contact with, I say ‘good morning’ or ‘good afternoon.’” 

Sometimes the most important thing she and Donald can provide is reassurance. When patients tell them they are nervous, Sheryl listens and offers words of encouragement. 

“We say, ‘Don’t worry. They will take care of you,’” she added. 

For Sheryl, volunteering has also deepened her connection to a hospital that has been part of her family and neighborhood for most of her life. “I get here and something comes over me, and it’s a feeling that I belong here,” she said. “I always wanted to work in a hospital. I feel like volunteering has made my life complete, and I plan on doing this until I can’t do it anymore.” 

Finding a new role after retirement 

Donald Mazerot Jr., 69, joined his wife as an East Jefferson General Hospital volunteer in November 2022 after retiring from a 42-year career with Coca-Cola. Before that career, he had been a firefighter. 

With a background in public service, Donald found volunteering to be a natural fit. He volunteers at the hospital three days a week. On Wednesdays, he helps in the hospital’s cardiac rehabilitation program, an experience that holds special meaning for him. After suffering a heart attack, Donald completed cardiac rehabilitation himself. 

“I like to talk to people and move around,” Donald said. “It gives me exercise. I ask people how they are doing.” 

For Sheryl, seeing her husband become part of the hospital adds another chapter to the family’s longstanding tradition of service. 

A nurse returns as a volunteer 

Susan Scotton, 69, has experienced East Jefferson General Hospital from two perspectives: as a nurse and as a volunteer.  

She began at the hospital as a candy striper before becoming a nurse in 1979. During her long nursing career, she worked in medical-surgical nursing and saw firsthand how much volunteers could help nurses and patients with errands, delivering water and other everyday needs.

In 1984, she thought she knew someone who would be particularly good at volunteering: her mother. Gail Daigle, 90, had wanted to volunteer at East Jefferson General Hospital since the hospital’s early years, but raising young children had made it difficult. When Susan suggested volunteering, Gail took the opportunity. 

More than 40 years later, mother and daughter still volunteer at East Jefferson General Hospital one day a week. Susan volunteers in palliative care through the hospital’s chaplains office. She receives a list of patients who might benefit from a visit and spends time with them. 

After decades of nursing, she appreciates having something she rarely had enough of during a busy hospital shift: time to listen, connect and offer companionship. 

“It’s extremely rewarding to hear people’s stories,” Susan said. “When I was a nurse, I didn’t have time to listen to stories. Now I love it, and I can listen to stories and spend as much time as I like, and I don’t have to chart anything.” 

Being there when someone needs you 

Gail has volunteered in numerous areas of the hospital over the years, including the post-anesthesia care unit and palliative care. Although she has scaled back her volunteer hours, her commitment to helping others remains strong at age 90. 

“It gives me a purpose and gives me something to do,” Gail said. “I enjoy helping others, and I’ve always volunteered someplace.” 

Of all her volunteer roles, Gail said palliative care was the most meaningful.  

“I could comfort and pray with people who were dying, especially people who have no one there to be with them,” she said. 

She also participated in No One Dies Alone, a program that provides companionship to patients nearing the end of life who otherwise might be alone. 

Both Gail and Susan have experienced profound personal loss. Each has lost children to a genetic disorder. These experiences have deepened their understanding of grief and helped shape the compassion they bring to patients and families facing illness, loss and uncertainty. 

For Susan, volunteering also reflects what she learned during decades of caring for patients as a nurse.  

“It was always so rewarding to be able to help patients,” she said. “Now I get to do it in a different way as a volunteer.” 

There is a place for almost anyone 

Together, these four volunteers illustrate the many ways individuals can make a difference at East Jefferson General Hospital. Some transport patients, assist hospital departments, or draw on their professional backgrounds and personal experiences to support patients and families facing difficult circumstances. 

Susan believes the range of volunteering opportunities at East Jefferson General Hospital matters.  

“Every volunteer has a purpose,” she said. “Some people don’t want to work directly with people. They want to be in the office. There are opportunities for anyone with any interest and skills.” 

According to Sheryl, the best way to find out whether volunteering is right for you is simply to give it a chance.  

“Do it. Try it out,” she said. “It may not be your thing but, more likely, you will love it. It will change your life.” 

Become an East Jefferson General Hospital volunteer 

East Jefferson General Hospital volunteers support patients, visitors, and hospital staff in a variety of roles. Opportunities are available for people with different interests, abilities and comfort levels 

To learn more about volunteering at East Jefferson General Hospital, call Volunteer Services at 504.503.4000 and express your interest in becoming a volunteer or visit Volunteer Services to learn more.