40 years of compassion: Kathy Sabean's heartfelt career at Soldiers Memorial Hospital

If you’ve ever dropped by the cafeteria at Soldiers Memorial Hospital (SMH) in Middleton, chances are you’ve received a warm welcome from Kathy Sabean.

The new year will mark Sabean’s 40-year career at SMH.

“When I was 15, I started working at the hospital after school. In fact, my first job was to empty all the ashtrays and wash the tables,” Sabean recalled with a chuckle. “People were still smoking bedside at that time.”

Sabean’s mother and uncle both had careers at SMH as well. Her mother worked in environmental services for 25 years and her uncle in laundry services for 35 years. So, this building has a lot of meaning for her family.

As a cafeteria worker with Nutrition and Food Services, Sabean starts her day by making coffee, preparing food for the day and helping wherever else is needed. By 7:30 a.m. she starts welcoming customers, many of whom have become friends over the years.

“We’re a close building, so I get to know everybody by name, what they like to eat and how they take their coffee,” said Sabean. “It’s a safe place. They can come in when they’re having a bad day and need a little cry. I’ll give them a little hug or treat.”

Sabean said helping people is her favourite part of her role.

“We see people that are at their worst or most vulnerable. I've sat with a lot of people over the years, to just listen, support them and try to make their day a bit easier,” said Sabean who also loves celebrating customers good times too.

She said throughout her career she had strong female leaders who inspired her to work hard and be supportive of the people around her.

The pandemic changed how people gathered in cafeterias, and Sabean and the team are working hard to encourage healthcare workers to come down off their floor or from their desk and have a quick break or socialize.

“Sometimes 15 minutes is all you need to get away from work to be renewed, right?” she said.
Sabean has been creating a warm, supportive space for customers - both staff and patients - at SMH for decades.

“Kathy has always been a people person and understood the importance of customer service,” said Michelle McLearn, director, Nutrition and Food Services and site lead at SMH. “She is a leader within Nutrition and Food Services, and we will miss her.”

Nutrition and Food Services is one of eight departments within the Corporate Services portfolio at Nova Scotia Health. Corporate Services is committed to improving outcomes, experiences, and efficiencies.

Photo of Kathy Sabean, cafeteria worker with Nutrition and Food Services.