A Letter From Clay, LAUNCH Coordinator
Doing Extraordinary Work
Every day I walk into the hospital, I know I’m going to witness something extraordinary.
As the volunteer coordinator for the LAUNCH program, I have the privilege of working one-on-one with each of our participants. I get to meet them on their very first day—often nervous, unsure, quiet—and I watch as they begin to open up, take chances, and slowly grow into themselves.
For many of these young adults, this is their first experience in a professional setting. And for some, it’s the first time someone has looked at them and said, “I believe in you. Let’s see what you can do.”
That’s where our journey begins.
My role isn’t just to assign tasks or monitor schedules. It’s about building trust. I take time to really get to know each LAUNCH team member—their quirks, their strengths, their fears, their sense of humor. I learn what makes them light up. I figure out when to push and when to step back. And slowly, together, we begin to chart a path forward.
Sometimes, that means asking them to try something they didn’t think they could do—answering a phone, delivering supplies, talking to a team member in a new department.
And when they rise to the occasion (which they always do), you can see the shift. Shoulders lift. Eyes brighten. They realize “I can do this.”
That growth isn’t limited to the walls of the hospital. I talk regularly with parents and caregivers, many of whom have spent years advocating fiercely for their child. When they tell me they’ve never seen their son or daughter more confident, more social, more hopeful—it humbles me every single time. They know the world isn’t always easy to navigate for someone who thinks differently. But here, they’ve found a place that sees their child not as a challenge—but as a gift.
I think about one young lady in our program who was timid and didn’t want to engage with patients for fear of upsetting them, now greeting patients in their rooms and asking about their experience. And I think about the young man who works in the kitchen and has grown not only in social skills but in the tactical skills needed to help in the kitchen. I’ve worked with both of them. I’ve watched them launch.
Every single participant in this program brings something valuable—not just to the hospital, but to the people around them. They bring joy, focus, loyalty, and heart. And the truth is, while I’m here to support them, they’ve changed me in return.
Watching them thrive has been an amazing privilege and given me a deeper sense of purpose in my work.
With gratitude and heart,
Clay Vandenbussche
Volunteer Coordinator, LAUNCH Coach