For Doug Greene, RRT, walking the halls of FMOL Health | Our Lady of Lourdes feels less like volunteering and more like coming home.
His history with the hospital spans decades. He completed most of his clinical training there before joining the team in 1991 as a respiratory therapist, working night shifts for 14 years. He then spent another 14 years as director of the respiratory department.
His connection to Our Lady of Lourdes also includes a meaningful chapter in its history. He worked at the original campus on St. Landry Street and was among the last team members there before the move to the Regional Medical Center on Ambassador Caffery in 2011. It is a connection that has deepened his bond to the hospital over time.
Today, he serves as a patient advocate volunteer, spending several days each week rounding on patients across the Regional Medical Center and the Heart Hospital. His approach is simple and personal.
“I start at one end, and I go in every patient room on the floor,” Doug says. “I introduce myself, ask the patients how they’re doing, how their care is going, and if they have anything that’s not going well.
“I’ll tell them I’m the guy you need to talk to if there’s something not going right,” Doug says. “And they’ll open up.”
Those conversations often open doors. Sometimes patients need help with something small. Other times, they just need someone to listen.
“Almost every patient thanks me for going around and just checking on them,” he says. “They really appreciate that.”
A Return Rooted in Purpose
Doug’s connection to Our Lady of Lourdes runs deep, not only through his own career but through his family. His wife of 45 years, Nancy, also worked at Our Lady of Lourdes, first as a respiratory therapist and later as a nurse. Their son worked there as well.
In 2021, Doug stepped away from work to care for Nancy during a serious illness. During that time, he began thinking about what life might look like afterward.
“I began thinking that if I should survive longer than her, I would go back to Lourdes in some sort of capacity and help serve,” he says.
After her passing in 2025, he followed through on that promise and found a natural fit with the Our Lady of Lourdes volunteer program as a patient advocate.
“I was fortunate enough to get in and become one of the patient advocate volunteers,” he says. “And that really helped me in my own healing.”
Listening That Makes a Difference
For patients, a hospital stay can feel overwhelming. Doug’s visits offer a moment of relief.
Other times, a short conversation is enough to make a difference.
“It’s just a little conversation, maybe for five minutes, but they feel real comfortable and they appreciate it,” he says.
Doug also helps communicate patient needs to care teams, serving as an extra set of eyes and ears on the floor.
“I think the nurses and the aides also appreciate it because we’re more eyes and ears on the floor,” he says.
Even on weekends, when the pace can slow, that presence matters.
“They’re kind of amazed that we’re there talking with them,” Doug says. “And they really appreciate that.”
A Calling That Gives Back
While Doug’s work makes a difference for patients, it has also been meaningful for him.
“It’s very rewarding,” he says. “If it’s appropriate, to have a little humor in the room with them and see them laugh for just a minute, it’s really, really rewarding.”
Volunteering has also helped him navigate life after loss.
“It gives me a really good feeling and it’s helped with my own healing after the passing of my spouse,” Doug says.
For him, the role is rooted in purpose, not recognition.
“It’s a very humbling experience,” he says. “I just do it to help the mission and help the patients feel more comfortable and cared for.”
An Open Invitation to Serve
For anyone considering volunteering, Doug’s advice is simple.
“Go for it,” he says. “Just go for it. It is very, very rewarding.”
His perspective as a former caregiver, patient and family member gives him a deep sense of empathy for those he visits. That understanding shapes every interaction and reinforces the impact volunteers can have.
“It’s a wonderful experience,” Doug says. “I feel fortunate and privileged to be able to do this.”
And for Doug, each visit continues to affirm why he came back.
“It really makes my day to go in there and talk with the patients and just visit with them,” he says.
