DALLAS – For 92-year-old Rosie Steffen, Parkland Memorial Hospital has never just been a place to work, it’s been a lifelong calling.
Steffen built her career as a nurse, dedicating herself to caring for mothers and newborns. She also helped shape the next generation of clinical staff, teaching student nurses during her time at the health system. It’s also where she continues to give back. For nearly 30 years she’s volunteered her time each week at Parkland in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
“I decided when I had my students here, that I was going to make discharge bags for [the patient families]. So that’s what I did, and I went out and asked a bunch of my friends what I needed: blankets, onesies, diapers, socks, hats, and quilts, just the things you need for a baby going home,” she said.
The bags, filled with essential items for newborns, offer comfort and support to families preparing to leave the hospital. For many, they ease a stressful transition. For Steffen, they are a way to continue the work she has always loved, now through volunteer service. She noted how grateful families are for the NICU discharge bags she makes for their babies.
Steffen is one of many Parkland volunteers who dedicate their time to supporting patients, families and care teams. In the NICU, where patients are among the most vulnerable, staff say her compassion stands out.
“When you see her, you can tell she cares about her volunteer work and volunteer time and what she does for our babies and families, and that is contagious,” said Lily Huang, MS, CCLS, a Child Life Specialist in the NICU at Parkland. “If you go ask our staff, everyone knows Miss Rosie.”
For Steffen, being around babies again is what makes her work meaningful.
“Everything about it brings me joy. I really enjoy the babies,” she said.
That passion, first sparked during her nursing career, continues to resonate with the care team today.
“We are so fortunate to have Miss Rosie in our unit,” Huang said.
Steffen’s commitment to service extends beyond her time in the NICU. She is a member of the Parkland Auxiliary and a past scholarship chair, helping support the next generation through the Steffen-Aronoff Auxiliary Scholarship. The scholarship is available to children of full-time Parkland employees who are graduating high school and pursuing higher education or vocational training.
Now, decades after first walking Parkland’s halls as a nurse and educator, Steffen is still guided by a simple belief.
“You can’t just take all the time, you’ve got to give something,” she said.
During National Volunteer Week, Parkland recognizes volunteers like Steffen who make a lasting impact across the health system. That belief continues to shape her days and inspire those around her.
“Even though I’m 92, it gets me up in the morning,” she said.
