Volunteer Spotlight – Christina Luna

CommunityHealth shines the Volunteer Spotlight on Christina Luna during April.

Since joining CommunityHealth in April 2024, Christina has contributed 250 hours as a lab technician and shift leader volunteer. She quickly became known around the clinic as a self‑starter and a fast learner, always ready to step in where she’s needed. Her empathy for the patients she serves and her dedication to ensuring quality health care for all shine through in everything she does, making her an invaluable part of our lab team.

We are delighted to honor Christina for her outstanding service and leadership in the clinic.

CommunityHealth sat down with Christina to learn more about what quality health care for all means to her…

Tell us more about yourself and your background.

I am a current third-year student at the University of Chicago, studying Biology and Public Health, specializing in Public Health and Health Policy, with the goal of attending medical school. I grew up in the Northwest suburbs of Chicago, and I am the proud daughter of undocumented Mexican immigrants. I am also a native Spanish speaker and love being able to communicate with patients in their native language. My family and the broader Latino community are the reason I am dedicated to bridging the gap in access to equitable and affordable healthcare for underrepresented individuals in the country, and I am grateful to have found CommunityHealth, which brings me one step closer to that goal!

What has been your favorite memory from your time with CommunityHealth?

I have met such great people in the short time I have been volunteering here, including medical students, providers, staff, volunteers, and, most importantly, patients. There was one patient I remember very vividly, and my interaction with her stuck with me. I called this patient back to the lab and asked her to verify her name and date of birth for me, but instead, she handed me her passport and began apologizing to me for not being able to read. I greeted the patient with a smile and told her that it was not a problem. Not only did I have the ability to speak the language she spoke, bringing immediate solace across
her face, but I was able to read it, allowing me to foster a language and culturally competent environment where I could read all necessary consent and informational forms to my patient while creating a pleasant connection where my patient felt comfortable enough to ask questions to which I could adequately respond to or redirect.

Why and how did you begin volunteering at CommunityHealth? 

I began volunteering at CommunityHealth after learning about the clinic from my program advisor at UIC. I received my certificate and national license as a phlebotomist in December of 2023 and knew that I wanted to put it to use but did not have time for a part-time job. Immediately after my appointment with my advisor, I googled CommunityHealth, and signed up to be a lab volunteer. I was drawn by the ability to create my own volunteering schedule but stayed for the mission and community that CommunityHealth serves. My future goal is to serve the greater Latino community in Chicago as a primary care physician, which are the communities that CommunityHealth serves, providing me with early exposure to the field, and allowing me to be a small part of their vision.

What has kept you volunteering all this time?

Growing up, my parents did not have access to proper, affordable healthcare. Language and financial barriers prevented my parents from receiving the best care possible. My father suffered a heart attack in 2019 and continued to face obstacles within emergency medical services because of his lack of insurance, delaying the care he received. I grew infuriated with the medical system and knew I had to be a part of the change. I continue to volunteer at CommunityHealth because I can be the Spanish-speaking individual that my parents never saw in a clinical setting and help patients feel comfortable knowing that they are receiving proper care. As a volunteer in the lab, I am part of a supportive medical system that does not shame individuals for not having insurance or for not speaking English, getting them one step closer to a healthy life.

Why is volunteering important to you?

To some, volunteering is another thing to add to their resume. For me, volunteering at CommunityHealth is so much more than just another box to check for medical school. Volunteering at CommunityHealth means speaking to patients in Spanish and seeing the relief on their faces when they realize the person drawing their blood or administering their vaccines speaks their language. Volunteering at CommunityHealth means giving back to my community and supporting a clinic dedicated to bridging gaps in the healthcare system and providing equitable care to everyone! I can be the Spanish-speaking, friendly face that my parents never had in clinical settings

What advice would you give to new volunteers at CommunityHealth?

Please do NOT be scared to ask for help! The patients that you are helping at CommunityHealth are real people, and it is so much better for you to ask for help when you are feeling overwhelmed or nervous than to make a mistake with real consequences. Everyone at CommunityHealth is dedicated to the patients they serve and are happy to support you, so ask for help. Do not be ashamed to ask for an interpreter! You need to provide your patients with the best possible care, even if that means asking for an interpreter.

Do you have any special talents you would like to share?

I have a small side hustle where I sell cakes! I have always loved baking, and then randomly decided to post my work on social media, and people started ordering. Now I decorate cakes and make other sweet treats in my free time. My favorite kind of cakes to decorate are the “vintage” style heart cakes, and I always appreciate a good challenge!

Outside of CommunityHealth, how do you like to spend your free time?

Outside of CommunityHealth, I spend most of my free time studying since I am a full-time student on the pre-med track. I also volunteer at a legal clinic that supports recent migrants with filing asylum cases. Personally, I love to spend time at home, even if it means just watching novelas all day on the couch with my mom, dad, and older sister.

As the largest volunteer-based free health center in the nation, serving the uninsured, underserved, and undocumented, CommunityHealth is more than a free clinic but a true patient-centered medical home. Health care providers, both clinical and nonclinical, devoted to quality health care for all are encouraged to apply.