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| Karen Rumo |
It has been said that
Karen Rumo of Windham has an amazing gift of profound caring for others - and
that gift won her an outstanding award that is rarely found among her
contemporaries. On Wednesday, June 19 Rumo, who is a Psychiatric Technician at
Spring Harbor Hospital in Westbrook received the Caregiver of the Year award at
the Maine Hospital Association’s (MHA) annual Summer Forum held
at the Samoset Resort in Rockport. News Center Maine Anchor Sharon Rose
Vaznis presented the award.
According to the (MHA) website, the Caregiver of the Year
Award has been given to a caregiver employed by a member institution who, on a
daily basis, demonstrates extraordinary commitment to the delivery of care to
patients and their families.
"If someone is
feeling anxious or they look frightened, she knows how to approach them and to
help calm them down, de-escalate them, and help them get what they need,"
stated Mary Jane Krebs, President of Spring Harbor Hospital in a June 19
publication written by Vaznis.
Rumo is a 1984 graduate
of Windham High School and has worked in the field of mental health for 33
years. Her dedication to helping others in a field that is very challenging to serve
is admirable. While others in her profession tend to experience burnout, Rumo’s
passion only grows.
She serves on
committees, trains new employees and goes the extra mile for patients and staff
alike. “Passion and caring for others are the foundation for any job you might
have,” Rumo began. “And for me, if it benefits our patients – then I’m going to
do it.”
In a recent
interview, Rumo’s enthusiasm for her life’s work was evident and her excitement
filled the room. “I had no clue that I was nominated,” began Rumo. “In fact, I
didn’t even know such awards existed and I feel so honored to have been
nominated and selected as the winner.”
The Caregiver of the
Year Award has been presented to medical professionals since 2002 and it’s the
first time that this award was given to someone who works on the front line,
working directly with the patients in a technician’s position.
Rumo was nominated by
a longtime coworker and friend, Claudia Henry. Henry, who wrote the required 500-word
essay and collected testimonials for the application process, is the one who
called to let Rumo know the good news. “When Claudia called to tell me I had
been selected, she said, ‘Karen! This is like winning the Oscars in
Hollywood!’”
Much like the Oscars,
Rumo had to prepare an acceptance speech. She admitted she was a little nervous,
but it didn’t prevent her from sharing some very important messages. “In my
speech I wanted to convey that a person does this work because their heart is
in it and they want to make a difference in people’s lives,” Rumo stated. “Making
a difference can happen in many different ways. There are times people arrive
at the hospital with just a medical gown and come with no other clothing.
Making a difference can simply be finding a shirt in the donation box so the
person is more comfortable.”
Her hope that the
attention she has received with winning this award can bring about more
awareness in the mental health field. “There is still so much stigma
surrounding mental health and it is my hope that this perception changes,” Rumo
stated. “In some form or fashion, we all experience our own mental health
issues. If there are emotions, there is going to be mental health issues that
come up.”
Rumo’s greatest
message is kindness, understanding and sympathy. “No matter who you come in
contact with, everyone has a story, and everyone has something to contribute.
Since we don’t know the whole story of an individual’s life, it is best that we
do not judge – but to be kind to one another.”
